Biochemistry: C6 - Lipids Flashcards
Three primary roles of fat
- In adipose tissue, TRIGYLCERIDES (fats) store energy.
- in cellular membranes, PHOPHOLIPIDS maintain and intra and extracellular environment
- CHOLESTEROL is the building block for steroid hormone.
syn for hydrophobic
lipophilic
syn for hydrophilic
lipophobic
structure of fatty acids
unsub alkane with carboxylic acid end
define saturated
no c-c double bonds BC every C is covalently bonded to the maximum number of hydrogens
define unsaturated
FA have one or more double bonds –> Z (cis) config
If FA is in water….
then the long hydrophobic chains will INTERACT with each other to MINIMIZE contact with each other. ** Charged carboxyl end will be exposed to the aqueous environment
define micelle
a structure fatty acids form in an aqueous solution
how is a micelle formed?
through hydrophobic interactions
define solvation shell
is the solvent interface of any chemical compound or biomolecule that constitutes the solute
solvation shell of water molecule is called?
hydration shell
function of a solvation shell
since water molecules has a dipole in which it likes to share its charges with other polar molecules, this shell will allow the MOST water-water interaction and LEAST water-lipid interaction
What faces out and in of a micelle?
out are the carboxylic acid head groups and inside are the hydrophobic lipid tails
explain the process in which soap removes grease
grease is not soluble in water, it is hydrophobic (lipophilic). Soap forms a micelle around a grease particle. **image if the hyrophilic heads of soap facing out, hydrophobic tails facing inwards with a hydrophobic grease particle in the center, caved in.
How is a triglyceride formed?
gylcerol + 3 fatty acids undergo a base catalyzed ester hydrolysis
what is amphipathic and is a fatty acid this?
def: when a molecule had both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions
yes: heads (polar) and tails (nonpolar)
function of lipases
enzymes that hydrolyze fats, which means they break down fats with the addition of water.
Which is a more efficient energy storage molecule: fats or carbs? why?
fats because of 2 reasons: (1) packing and (2) energy content
packing
fats pack more closely than carbs because of their hydrophobicity. carbs’s have hydroxyl groups that interact with water, carrying high water-of-solvation. So basically, the amount of carbon in unit area of fat is far greater than carbs.
energy content
fat molecules are reduced, meaning it has an H, while carbs are less reduced, more oxidized. Metabolism process requires oxidation of foods to release energy. Fats, being more reduced, have more capability to be oxidized. Carbs can be also be oxidized but less.
Animal and plant energy content
animals use fat and less glycogen to store energy
plants (potatoes) use carbs to store most of their energy
what lipid makes up a membrane?
phospholipid –> derived from diacylglycerol phosphate or DG-P.
DG-P structure
a glyercol, with 2 fatty acids, and a phosphate group.
The P group usually has an even bigger polar group added to it.
DG-P + choline (function)
phosphatidylcholine: lipid component of lung surfacant ==> reduces surface tension inside lung alveoli
DG-P + ethanolamine (function)
phosphatidylethanolamine: involved in signal transmission across cell membrane
what do FA form and what do phospholipids form?
FA - micelle
Phospholipids - lipid bilayer
What characteristics of a phospholipid bilayer increase its membrane fluidity
- degree of saturation: more double bonds, or more unsaturated –> more fluid
- tail length: shorter tail length of fatty acid –> more fluid
- amount of cholesterol:
How does cholesterol play a role?
Cholesterol keeps fluidity at optimal level
- at low temperatures, it increase fluidity (same way as kinks in FA)
- at high temp, it decrease fluidity
What can’t pass through the PM?
certain hormones (peptides) charged particles (Na+)
Terpenes
built of isoprene units with a general formula of (C5H8)n
can be cyclic or linear
isoprene unit
(C5H8). Units of these make up an terpene