Biological Macromolecules Flashcards
Monomer
small molecules that can make bigger molecules
Polymer
a bunch of monomers connected by covalent bond
4 major classes of macromolecules
Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids
What connects the monomers together
covalent bond
Examples of monomers
Sugars, Nucleotides, amino acids, nucleic acids
Examples of Polymers
Protein and Cellulose
Dehydration synthesis
a chemical reaction in which two molecules covalently bond to each other requiring energy
Monomer -> Polymer
Hydrolysis
Breaking down complex molecules by the chemical addition of water releasing energy
Polymer -> Monomer
Types of monosaccharides
Glucose, Frutose, Galactose
Characteristics of monosaccharides
Soluble in water, sweet, all are reducing sugars
Types of disaccharides
Maltose (malt sugar), Sucrose (cane sugar), lactose (milk sugar)
Characteristics of disaccharides
Soluble in water, sweet, all reducing sugars except sucrose
Glucose + Glucose
Maltose + water
Glucose + Fructose
Sucrose + water
Glucose + Galactose
Lactose + water
Types of polysaccharides
Starch, Glycogen, Cellulose
Starch
Carbohydrate stored in plant cell
Glycogen
Carbohydrate stored in animal cell
Cellulose
component of cell wall in plant cells, not soluble in water
characteristics of polysaccharides
Not sweet in taste, many are insoluble in water, non-reducing sugars
Functions of lipids
long term energy storage, insulation from environment for plants and animals, serve as building blocks for some hormones, important component of cellular membrane
Types of lipids
Fats, waxes, phospholipids, steroids
Saturated fats
high proportion of fatty acids molecules without double bonds and less healthy
Unsaturated fats
Fat or fatty acid in which there is at least on double bond