Biological Molecules Flashcards
What chemical elements are present in carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids?
Carbohydrates: Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen.
Proteins: Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen, Sulfur, Nitrogen, Phosphorous.
Lipids: Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen.
What is the common structure of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids at the molecular level?
Carbohydrates: Composed of simple sugars.
Proteins: Composed of amino acids.
Lipids: Composed of fatty acids and glycerol.
Name the chemical tests for the presence of glucose, starch, protein, and fat.
Glucose: Benedict’s reagent changes color(brick red).
Starch: Iodine solution changes color from orange to blue-black.
Protein: Biuret’s reagent changes color to violet.
Fat: Presence can be observed through the filter paper experiment using the alcohol test.
How can carbohydrates be divided, and what tests can be used to identify them?
Carbohydrates can be divided into Starch (tested with iodine solution) and Glucose (tested with Benedict’s reagent).
What is an enzyme, and how does it function in biological reactions?
Enzymes are protein molecules that act as biological catalysts, speeding up specific reactions without being used up or affected.
How do enzymes function in metabolic reactions, such as digestion?
Enzymes act as biological catalysts in metabolic reactions, allowing substrates to bind to their active sites, and facilitating/catalyzing breakdown into products.
Describe the interaction between enzymes and substrates.
Substrates binds with the active site of enzymes, forming an attachment. The enzyme then catalyzes the breakdown of the substrate into products.
What happens to the enzyme molecule after catalyzing a reaction, and why is it considered efficient?
After catalyzing the breakdown of substrates, the enzyme releases products from its active site and can be reused, making the process efficient.
Name common enzymes and the reactions they catalyze.
Amylase/Maltase: Catalyzes the breakdown of starch into glucose.
Protease: Catalyzes the breakdown of proteins into amino acids.
Lipase: Catalyzes the breakdown of lipids into fatty acids and glycerol.
How does a change in temperature affect enzyme function, and what happens as the temperature exceeds the optimum?
Increasing temp. towards optimum, the rate of enzyme activity increases. Bcs as temp. increases, enzymes & substrates will gain KE, vibrating and moving faster However, exceeding the optimum temperature leads to denaturation, altering the shape of the active site and hindering substrate binding.
How does pH affect enzyme activity, and what occurs when the pH exceeds the optimum?
Optimal pH is crucial for enzyme activity; Increase/decrease from the optimum pH can alter the shape and charge of the active site, preventing efficient substrate binding. Enzymes denature when the pH exceeds the optimum.
What is the enzyme-substrate complex, and how does it relate to enzyme activity?
The enzyme-substrate complex forms when an enzyme combines with a substrate, facilitating metabolic reactions. Changes in temperature and pH can impact the formation and stability of this complex.
Define anabolic and catabolic reactions in the context of enzyme activity.
Anabolic reactions build large molecules from smaller ones, facilitated by enzymes. Catabolic reactions involve the breakdown of larger molecules into smaller ones, also assisted by enzymes.
How does pH influence the enzyme-substrate interaction, and what happens when the pH deviates from the optimal range?
pH affects the shape and charge of the active site, influencing the efficiency of substrate binding. Enzymes work best at specific pH values, and deviations can lead to changes in enzyme activity.
Provide an example of how different enzymes work optimally at distinct pH values.
Intestinal enzymes function optimally at pH 7.5, while stomach enzymes work best at pH 2. Different enzymes have varying pH requirements for efficient activity.
