Biological Molecules Flashcards
What are Monomers?
-Monomers are the smaller units from which larger molecules are made
-Examples include; Monosaccharides, amino acids and nucleotides
What are Polymers?
-Polymers are molecules made from a large number of monomers joined together
What is a condensation reaction?
-A condensation reaction joins two molecules together with the formation of a chemical bond and involves the elimination of a molecule of water
What is a hydrolysis reaction?
-A hydrolysis reactions breaks a chemical bond between two molecules and involves the use of a water molecule
What are Monosaccharides?
-Monosaccharides are the monomers from which larger carbohydrates are made
-Examples are Glucose, Galactose and Fructose
What bond is created in a condensation reaction between two monosaccharides?
-A condensation reaction between two monosaccharides forms a Glycosidic Bond
What are Disaccharides?
-Disaccharides are formed by the condensation of two monosaccharides
How is Maltose formed?
-Maltose is a disaccharide formed by the condensation of two glucose molecules
How Is Sucrose formed?
-Sucrose is a disaccharide formed by condensation of a Glucose molecule and a Fructose molecule
How is Lactose formed?
-Lactose is a disaccharide formed by condensation of a Glucose molecule and a Galactose molecule
What are the Isomers of Glucose?
-Glucose has two isomers, α-Glucose and β-Glucose
How are Polysaccharides formed and describe their solubility in water.
-Polysaccharides are formed by the condensation of many Glucose units
-Polysaccharides are insoluble in water
How are Glycogen and Starch Formed?
-Glycogen and Starch are formed by the Condensation of α-Glucose
-How is Cellulose formed?
-Cellulose is formed by the condensation of β-Glucose
What are Carbohydrates and their uses?
-Carbohydrates are Bio-Molecules made of Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen
-Cells use Carbohydrates as both a source of energy (typically smaller, simple sugars) or a store of energy(commonly larger complex sugars)
What are Pentose Sugars and Hexose sugars?
-A Pentose sugar is a Monosaccharide that consists of 5 carbons and have a pentagonal structure
-An example of a Pentose sugar is Ribose
-A Hexose sugar is a Monosaccharide that consists of 6 carbons and have a hexagonal structure
-An example of a Hexose sugar are, Glucose, Fructose and Galactose
Describe the structure and uses of starch.
-Starch is used for storing energy in plants
-Made of 2 compounds, Amylose and Amylopectin
-Amylose is a polysaccharides that is made from 200-5000 glucose molecules joined by 1,4 Glycosidic bonds
-There is a slight angle between the Alpha-glucoses causing the amylose to be in a spiral shape
-This allows the Amylose to be compact for more space in the cell
-Amylopectin is similar but also has 1,6 Glycosidic bonds which forms branches which are easy to break of the give quick and accessible release of energy
-Starch is also insoluble so doesn’t affect cell water potential
What is Amylopectin?
-Amylopectin is one of two of the components of Starch
-Amylopectin is branched and is made up of alpha-glucose molecules joined by 1, 4 and 1, 6 glycosidic bonds
- Due to the presence of many side branches these can be acted upon simultaneously by many enzymes and thus broken down to release its energy.
What is amylose?
-Amylose is an unbranched chain of glucose molecules joined by 1, 4 glycosidic bonds, and as a result amylose is coiled and thus a very compact molecule storing a lot of energy.
Describe the structure and uses of Glycogen.
-Glycogen is mainly how animals and fungi store energy
-Glycogen is formed from many molecules of alpha glucose joined together by 1, 4 and 1, 6 glycosidic bonds. -It has a large number of side branches meaning that energy can be released quickly as enzymes can act simultaneously on these branches.
Describe the structure and uses of Cellulose.
-Cellulose is a strong substance found in plant cell walls, which stops the cell from bursting
-It is made up of unbranched chains of Beta-glucose molecules linked via 1,4 glycosidic bonds
-Every alternate glucose molecule in cellulose chains is inverted to avoid a spiral structure
-These chains are arranged by lining up on top of each other like a brick wall bonded by hydrogen bonds; These structures are called Microfibrils
-Most animals, including humans, cannot digest cellulose as they lack enzymes, however cows can
Describe the structure of Microfibrils.
-Microfibrils are strong threads which are made of long cellulose chains running parallel to one another that are joined together by Hydrogen bonds forming strong cross linkages
Describe a Biochemical test for reducing sugars.
-Benedict’s reagent can be used to test for the presence of reducing sugars, which are sugars that can reduce the Benedict’s reagent (an alkaline solution of Copper (II) Sulfate)
-When a reducing sugar is added to this blue reagent and heated, it forms an insoluble brick red precipitate (Copper (I) oxide)
Describe the Biochemical test for non-reducing sugars.
-If a sugar is added to Benedict’s reagent and there is no colour change from blue to brick red, the food sample is a non-reducing sugar
-Therefore, dilute HCl is added and heated to hydrolyse the glycosidic bonds between the polysaccharides and disaccharides
-Then Sodium Hydrogen-carbonate is added in order to neutralise the solution as Benedict’s reagent wont work in acidic solutions
-Then the reducing sugar test is repeated- if sugars are present Benedict’s reagent changes from blue to brick red