Biological Molecules Flashcards
Created using notes from Week 3 of class.
Monomers are. . .
Individual building blocks.
Polymers are. . .
Structures built out of monomers.
The process of adding water to break apart bigger molecules into monomers is:
Hydrolysis.
The process of removing water and making a bigger molecule is:
Dehydration synthesis.
Glucose, glycerol, fatty acids, and amino acids are examples of. . .
Monomers.
Carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins are examples of. . .
Polymers.
How do cells obtain energy from carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates like monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides are broken down by enzymes into glucose so the glucose can be absorbed.
What enzyme breaks down large polysaccharides like starch?
Amylase.
What enzyme breaks down lactose?
Lactase.
What enzyme breaks down sucrose?
Sucrase.
What enzyme breaks down maltose?
Maltase.
Carbohydrates are made up of which elements?
Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
The atoms of carbohydrates are typically found in the ratio. . .
1:2:1
This category of carbohydrate is used for immediate energy:
Monomer.
This category of carbohydrate is used for storing extra energy:
Polymer.
The simplest carbohydrates are. . .
Monosaccharides.
These saccharides have only one sugar molecule.
What are the most common examples of monosaccharides?
Glucose and fructose.
Disaccharides are. . .
Two linked sugar molecules.
Glucose + galactose =
Lactose.
Glucose + fructose =
Sucrose.
Glucose + glucose =
Maltose.
Complex carbohydrates are. . .
Polysaccharides.
And/or, oligosaccharides.
Long chains of many monosaccharides are. . .
Polysaccharides.
Plants store extra glucose as. . .
Starch.
Animals store extra glucose as. . .
Glycogen.
This polysaccharide is found in plant cell walls:
Cellulose.
Glycogen is stored primarily in. . .
The liver and muscles.
Which polysaccharide helps regulate blood sugar levels?
Glycogen.
Which polysaccharide is undigestible to humans, and why?
Cellulose, because it is a long chain linked by alternating bonds which are difficult to digest.
Why is cellulose important in our diets?
It makes up a bulk of stool matter and prevents constipation.
Polysaccharides form structures that are large and _________.
Branching
~______% of the dry weight of cells are made up of proteins.
~50%
What are enzymes?
Biological catalysts that regulate metabolism.
The monomers of proteins are:
Amino acids.
How many types of amino acids are there?
20
Amino acids are made out of these three different parts:
A carboxyl group, an amino group and an R group.
The carboxyl group contains C, O2 and H. The amino group is a N paired with H2. There are 20 different possible R groups.
What function does the R group serve when a part of a protein?
It determines the shape, structure, and function of the protein.
This means that R groups determine the chemical properties of the protein; depending on the R group, a protein may be basic, acidic, polar or non-polar.
Peptide bonds are covalent bonds that form between:
Amino acids.
Many amino acids linked together are:
Polypeptides.
There are also dipeptides and tripeptides.
Polypeptides with a distinct shape and form are. . .
Proteins.
The sequence of each protein’s amino acids are determined by. . .
The gene that encodes the protein.
The primary structure of a protein is:
The long chain of amino acids.
The secondary structure of a protein structure is:
The twisting and folding of amino acids into an alpha-helix or a beta pleated sheet.
This caused by hydrogen bonds.
The tertiary structure of a protein is:
The folding of the amino acid chains furthermore, with interactions between amino side chains.
What are the different interactions that influence the tertiary structure of a protein?
Hydrophobic/hydrophylic amino acids, opposite charged amino acids, disulfide bridges, and hydrogen bonds.
Why do hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions influence the tertiary structure of proteins?
Because some amino acids ‘prefer’ a particular environment (polar vs. non-polar).
For example, in a polar (aqueous) environment, polar sections of amino acids will fold around a non-polar section.
To form tertiary structure, sections of amino acids with different charges will form ________ bonds to hold together segments of the polypeptide.
Ionic.
Disulfide bridges help form the tertiary structure of proteins. What two monomers are linked as such?
Two amino acids called cysteine will form a strong bond known as a disulfide bridge between their SH groups.
Hydrogen bonds which reinforce the tertiary structure of a protein may form between which atoms?
O and H or N and H.
Oxygen and Hydrogen or Nitrogen and Hydrogen.
Two or more polypeptide chains of amino acids form the complete protein structure, known as the. . .
Quaternary structure.
Denaturation is:
The disruption of the natural conformation of a protein.
If denaturation of a protein is not too great, the protein can retain its native conformation through. . .
Renaturation.
List the ways proteins can be denatured:
Change in pH, adding salt, adding heat, change in polar or non-polar environment, disruption of disulfide bridges by chemicals.
What are the main categories of proteins based on function?
Structural, enzymatic, hormonal, transportational, and defensive.
Hemoglobin is an example of:
A protein whose function is to transport materials.
Lactase is an example of:
An enzymatic protein which hydrolyzes (breaks down via hydrolysis) lactose disaccharides.
Insulin is an example of:
A hormonal protein which helps regulate blood sugar levels.
Antibodies are an example of:
A defensive protein which provides immunity/protection from disease.
Which of the following is not a polymer, and why: proteins, lipids, or carbohydrates?
Lipids, because they are made from different things and technically are not made up of monomers.
Lipids are made of mostly ________ and _________.
Carbon and Hydrogen.
What chemical property makes lipids stand out from carbohydrates and proteins?
They are hydrophobic; therefore, not soluble in water.
Fats and oils are ____, and their main purpose is. . .
They are lipids. Fats and oils serve mainly as energy storage and contain double the energy per gram when compared to carbohydrates.
Many lipids are formed with which structural components?
A glycerol molecule is attached via hydration synthesis to three fatty acids.
