Biological Macromolecules

Question 1

What are macromolecules?

Answer 1

Polymers that are synthesized by linking monomers.

Question 2

Monomer to polymer?

Answer 2

Dehydration synthesis

Question 3

Polymer to monomer?

Answer 3

Hydrolysis

Question 4

Examples of 6-C monosaccharides

Answer 4

Galactose, glucose, fructose

Question 5

Bond between carbohydrate monomers (monosaccharides)

Answer 5

Glycosidic bond

Question 6

Common disaccharide pairs

Answer 6

Sucrose = glucose + fructose
Lactose = galactose + glucose
Maltose = glucose + glucose

Question 7

Functions of polysaccharides

Answer 7

1. Energy storage (starch, glycogen)
2. Structural support (chitin, cellulose)

Question 8

General form of carbohydrates

Answer 8

(CH2O)n

Question 9

General form of nucleic acids

Answer 9

Phosphate–pentose sugar–nitrogenous base

Question 10

Monomers of nucleic acids

Answer 10

Nucleotides

Question 11

Purines (two rings)

Answer 11

Adenine and Guanine

Question 12

Pyrimidines (single ring)

Answer 12

Cyanine, Uracil (RNA), Thymine (DNA)

Question 13

Types of pentose sugars in nucleotides

Answer 13

Ribose (2 OH; RNA) and deoxyribose (1 OH; DNA)

Question 14

Bonds between nucleotides

Answer 14

Phosphodiester bonds (between 5’ of one to 3’ of another)

Question 15

Monomers of proteins

Answer 15

Amino acids (20 types; 9 are essential)

Question 16

Structure of amino acid

Answer 16

Carbon is attached to
1. Amino group
2. Carboxyl group
3. H
4. Side chain (R)

Question 17

Amino acids and acidity

Answer 17

Low pH = positive amino group
High pH = negative carboxyl group

Question 18

Bonds between amino acids

Answer 18

Peptide bonds

Question 19

Levels of protein structure

Answer 19

1. Primary - sequence of amino acids
2. Secondary - alpha-helix, beta-pleated sheet
3. Tertiary - final folding of protein
4. Quaternary - interaction of two or more proteins

Question 20

Motifs and domains

Answer 20

Motifs – typical folding patterns seen in proteins
Domains – functional units within a protein

Question 21

Chaperones

Answer 21

Structures that help in proper protein folding (not necessary always)

Question 22

Monomer of lipids

Answer 22

Triglyceride

Question 23

Structure of triglyceride

Answer 23

1. Glycerol backbone
2. Three fatty acid chains

Question 24

Saturated versus unsaturated

Answer 24

Saturated – no C-C double bond; solid at room temperature
Unsaturated – one or more C-C double bonds; low melting point

Question 25

Phospholipid structure

Answer 25

1. Glycerol
2. 2 fatty acid chains (nonpolar tails)
3. Phosphate group (polar head)

Question 26

Amphipathic molecules

Answer 26

Oriented with polar heads on the outside and nonpolar tails on the inside; also micelles