Biological Molecules Flashcards
Definition of a monomer
Smaller repeating units; building blocks of polymers
Macromolecules are:
large molecules with 3D structures and functions
Like proteins
Monomers of proteins are:
Amino acids
An amino acid is made up of:
Four things to mention
- An amine group -NH4
- A central carbon
- An ‘R’ group
- A carboxyl group -COOH
A dipeptide is made up of what with what bond?
- Two amino acids
- A peptide bond
Polypeptide are
Dipeptides joined together by a peptide bond
Polypeptide are
Dipeptides joined together by a peptide bond
What is the variable ‘R’ group?
It’s the part of the amino acid that determines how the amino acid will interact in the environment and with other amino acids
Amino acids are linked together with what reaction to form what bond?
- Condensation reaction
- Peptide bond
How many amino acids are there? How many are essential?
- 20 amino acids
- 9 essential
How many stages of folding can a protein go through?
Four
Primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary
What happens in the primary structure?
The amino acids bond together with a peptide bond to form a polypeptide chain
What happens in the secondary structure?
Hydrogen bonds form between neaby amino acids between the amine and the carboxyl groups within the chain
This folds the chain
What happens in the tertiary structure?
More bonds occur such as:
- Disulphide bonds
- Ionic bonds
- More hydrogen bonds
- Polar interactions
This further folds the chain into a 3D shape
What happens in the tertiary structure?
More bonds occur such as:
- Disulphide bonds
- Ionic bonds
- More hydrogen bonds
- Polar interactions
This further folds the chain into a 3D shape