Biological Molecules Flashcards
What is metabolism
All of the chemical reactions that occur within an organism’s cells
What is monomer
Small chemical unit that makes up a polymer
What is polymer
Large molecule formed from combination of many monomers bonded together
What are the examples of monomers
Monosaccharides, amino acids and nucleotides
What are the examples of polymers
Carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids
What is condensation reaction
A reaction in which two molecules become bonded to each other through the loss of water
What is hydrolysis reaction
A chemical reaction that breaks apart a larger molecule by adding a molecule of water
Monosaccharides examples
Glucose, fructose, galactose
The properties of monosaccharides
Soluble in water
Sweet-tasting
Form crystal
Disaccharide examples
Maltose, sucrose and lactose
What is polysaccharide and the examples
Carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides
Starch, glycogen, cellulose function of starch energy storage in plants
Structure and function of starch
Made from Amylose and Amylopectin. Amylose is a long straight chain of alpha glucose which is coiled. Amylopectin is a straight chain of alpha-glucose with side branches ( 1,6-glycosidic bond)
Insoluble - which means it doesn’t affect osmosis-good for energy storage in plants e.g in seeds & storage organs, such as potato cells- coiled so compact, lots of alpha glucoses stored in a small space. Can be hydrolysed to release alpha glucose for respiration
Function and structure of glycogen
F: good for energy storage in animals e.g muscle and liver cells can be hydrolysed to release alpha glucose for respiration
S: straight chain of alpha-glucose (1,4-glycosidic bond) with side branches (1,6- glycosidic bond). Shorter and more highly branched
Triglycerides
An energy-rich compound made up of a single molecule of glycerol and three molecules of fatty acid
Phospholipid
A lipid that contains phosphorus, 2 fatty acids and one glycerol and is structural component in cell membrane
Function of lipids
Saturated triglycerides & unsaturated fatty acid
F: insulation, energy storage, structural (cholesterol and phospholipid in membrane), protection, non-polar
ST: no double carbon bonds composed of saturated fatty acids, typically have high melting points, tend to be hard at room temperature
USF: a fatty acid possessing one or more double bonds between the carbons in the hydrocarbon tail. Such bonding reduces the number of hydrogen atoms attached to carbon skeleton
Hydrophobic and hydrophilic
Water hating (fatty acids) and water loving ( phosphate head)
Functions of proteins
Polar and Non- polar
Structural support, catalyst, hormones, antibodies and enzymes
Polar-molecule with partial charges and mixes with water
Non-polar: equal sharing of electron, no charge
What are the levels of protein structure
Primary protein structure: sequence of amino acids
Secondary protein structure: coiling or folding of a polypeptide due to H-bonding between amino acids. Alpha helices or beta pleated sheets
Tertiary structure: the third level of protein structure; the overall, three dimensional shape of a polypeptide due to interaction of the R groups of the amino acids making up the chain. Held together by hydrogen bonds, disulphide bridges and ionic bonds
What are other level of protein
Quaternary structure: the fourth level of protein structure; the shape resulting from the association of two or more polypeptide subunits
Haemoglobin structure: large, globular conjugation protein made of four polypeptide chains,each with an iron-containing haem groups
Collagen structure: 3 proteins chains twisted into a triple helix. High glycine and proline content. Cross links tie fibres together
What are globular and fibrous protein and glycoproteins (function)
Globular proteins are spherical, water- soluble proteins
Fibrous proteins: long, insoluble, structural proteins
Glycoproteins: A protein with one or more covalently attached
Functions: acts as recognition sites, help cells to attach to one another and so form tissues, allows cells to recognise one another
Nucleic acids
DNA stands for: deoxyribonucleic acid
RNA stands for: ribonucleic acid
The monomers of nucleic acid are called: nucleotides
3 components of a nucleotide: sugar, phosphate and base
Adenine and thymine, guanine and cytosine. The bond formed between the adjacent nucleotides are phosphodiester bonds
DNA
consists of two long, chains of nucleotides twisted into a double helix and joined by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases adenine and thymine or guanine and cytosine. Long molecule which stores a lot of genetic info in a small space
RNA structure
*short and single stranded
*ribose sugar, bases are A,U,C,G
* nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.
3 types of RNA: mRNA , tRNA and rRNA
mRNA and tRNA
ATP structure
messenger RNA: Every 3 bases is called a codon. It is RNA molecule that carries copies of instructions for the assembly of amino acid into proteins from DNA to the rest of the cell
Transfer RNA: type of RNA molecule that transfers amino acids to ribosomes during protein synthesis. It has an amino acid binding site and a anticodon.
ATP: adenine, ribose and 3 phosphate groups. Can be used in phosphorylation, active transport, metabolic processes , exocytosis and movement.
