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Foundation to Bioscience 1 > Biological molecules > Flashcards

Biological molecules Flashcards

1
Q

What length unit are macromolecules measured in?

A

Nanometres

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2
Q

What’s the typical size of cells?

A

15-50 micrometres

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3
Q

Why is the cell’s plasma membrane important?

A

It regulates what enters and leaves the cell, thereby maintaining the optimum internal environment

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4
Q

What is the cytosol?

A

The water-soluble components of cell cytoplasm, constituting the fluid portion that remains after removal of the organelles and other intracellular structures.

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5
Q

What are the different types of chemical bonds found in biological molecules?

A
  • Covalent- a very strong intramolecular bond
  • Ionic- a strong intramolecular bond
  • Hydrogen bonds- weak, intermolecular bond
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6
Q

What is the most common physiological solvent?

A

Water, which makes up about 70% of living organisms’ mass

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7
Q

Which 6 elements make up about 99% of all living material?

A

Hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium

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8
Q

What are other key elements (5)?

A

Sodium, magnesium, chlorine, potassium, sulfur.

They make about 0.85% of living materials

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9
Q

Name the four classes of biologically important molecules

A

Proteins
Nucleic acids
Carbohydrates
Lipids

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10
Q

What percentage composition of living tissues are macromolecules?

A

30%

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11
Q

Which class of macromolecule has the highest percentage composition?

A

Proteins (55% of macromolecules in tissues are proteins)

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12
Q

What percentage of macromolecules are nucleic acids?

A

27%

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13
Q

What percentage of macromolecules are carbohydrates?

A

12%

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14
Q

What percentage of macromolecules are lipids?

A

6%

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15
Q

What is the basic unit of polymers?

A

Monomers

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16
Q

How are monomers linked together to form polymers?

A

Through condensation reactions, with the release of a water molecule

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17
Q

How are polymers broken down to form monomers?

A

Through hydrolysis reactions

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18
Q

What is the basic monomer of proteins/polypeptides?

A

Amino acids

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19
Q

What is the basic monomer of nucleic acids?

A

Nucleotides

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20
Q

Why is carbon the basis of biogenic molecules?

A

Carbon can form many different types of molecules- straight chain, branched chain, cross-links, ring structures, double bonds. It’s able to be part of different functional groups as well.

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21
Q

How long ago did the first cells begin to evolve?

A

3 billion years ago

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22
Q

What was needed to start producing organic molecules?

A

Sufficient organic material, energy, an inorganic matrix

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23
Q

Where did life on Earth evolve from?

A

Single-celled organisms in the oceans

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24
Q

What were early protocells made from?

A

Probably made from groups of amino acids

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25
Give a reason for one common ancestor for life on Earth
We all share a common genetic code
26
What are self-catalysing reactions?
A reaction where the formation of the final products act to stimulate/catalyse the first reactions
27
What were the earliest signalling molecules?
Amino acid-like molecules
28
What is a protein?
A chemical made up of one or more chains of amino acids. ≥3 AA= polypeptide > a few hundred AA= a protein
29
What is the bond that links two amino acid residues together?
A peptide bond
30
Name the reaction that takes place between amino acids to form a peptide
Condensation because a water molecule is released
31
What's the difference between simple proteins and conjugated proteins?
Simple proteins are made up of only amino acids. Conjugated proteins have other groups attached to the amino acid chain.
32
Give the four levels of protein structure
Primary Secondary Tertiary Quaternary
33
What is the primary structure of proteins?
The chain of amino acids
34
What is the secondary structure of proteins?
The local folded structures that form within a polypeptide due to interactions between atoms of the backbone.
35
What is the tertiary structure of proteins?
The final 3D conformation of the polypeptide
36
What is the quaternary structure of proteins?
The arrangement of subunits in a multi-subunit protein
37
What are the bonds that stabilise the tertiary structure?
Ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, van der Waals interactions
38
What are some of the names of multimeric proteins?
Dimer (2 subunits) Trimer (3 subunits) Tetramer (4 subunits)
39
Define denaturation
The irreversible destruction of the protein's 3D shape.
40
Give examples of denaturing agents
``` Heat pH organic solvents urea detergents mechanical stress ```
41
Why does denaturation lead to loss of function?
The interactions in the secondary and tertiary structures are disrupted, leading to the protein changing shape. This leads to the loss of function
42
Define the term 'lipid'
Lipids are a group of biological molecules that include fats, oils and some steroids. All lipids are hydrophobic
43
Describe the structure of fatty acids
A carboxyl group with a hydrocarbon 'tail', which are between 4-36 carbons long
44
Where is the omega end of a fatty acid?
The end with the terminal CH3 group
45
What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbon tails?
Saturated tails don't have any C=C bonds, whereas unsaturated tails do.
46
What are essential fatty acids?
Polyunsaturated fatty acids that animals can't synthesise, which must be present in the diet.
47
What are lipids often stored as?
Triacylglycerol. They consist of 3 fatty acids, joined to a glycerol backbone by ester bonds
48
Why are triacylglycerols efficient energy reserves?
Per gram, they release 6 times as much energy as glycogen carbohydrate
49
Define the term 'amphipathic'
Having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts
50
What are glycerophospholipids?
Glycerol-based phospholipids
51
Why are glycerophospholipids able to form bilayers?
Due to their amphipathic nature. Their hydrophobic tail is on the inside of the bilayer, and the hydrophilic head is on the outside
52
What are the monomers of nucleic acids?
Nucleotides
53
Name the three components of nucleotides
Nitrogenous base Pentose sugar Phosphate group
54
Name the four bases in DNA
Adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine
55
Which two DNA bases are the purines?
Adenine and guanine
56
Which two DNA bases are the pyrimidines?
Cytosine and thymine
57
How is the sugar-phosphate backbone bonded together?
With phosphodiester bonds formed through condensation reactions
58
What base replaces thymine in RNA?
Uracil, which is a pyrimidine
59
What type of bonding takes place between bases on complementary strands of DNA?
Hydrogen bonding
60
Describe the structure of DNA
- Double helix - The strands run antiparallel - Helix turns every 10 residues - DNA has minor and major grooves, where proteins can bind
61
Exposure to what causes the double helix of DNA to unwind? (4)
1) extremes of pH 2) increased temperature 3) alcohol, ketones etc 4) exposure to urea or amides
62
Which bonds are broken when the DNA denatures?
The hydrogen bonds between the bases
63
How do complementary single strands of nucleic acid reform double helices?
By hybridisation. | Can be DNA:DNA, DNA:RNA, RNA:RNA
64
How is DNA stored when not being copied?
It's tightly packed around histones to form chromatin. This folds to form chromosomes
65
What are the three classes of RNA?
Messenger RNA Transfer RNA Ribosomal RNA
66
What process are all RNA molecules involved in?
Protein synthesis.
67
What are the main differences between nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA?
- mtDNA is inherited maternally, rather than from both parents - mtDNA is circular, and nuclear DNA has a double helix - mtDNA isn't packed into chromatin, but nuclear DNA is
68
What's the difference between intron and exon regions of DNA?
Exon regions code for proteins, and introns are non-coding regions of DNA

Foundation to Bioscience 1 (8 decks)

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