Biological Molecules Flashcards
What are monosaccharides?
Simple sugars
What is an example of a monosaccharide?
Glucose
What is the general formula for monosaccharides?
Cn(H20)n
What is a disaccharide?
A sugar formed from two monosaccharides
How are disaccharides joined?
By a 1-4 glycosidic bond
What is lactose made from?
Glucose + galactose
What is sucrose made from?
Glucose + fructose
What is maltose made from?
Glucose + glucose
What is removed in a condensation reaction?
H2O
How do you test for non- reducing sugars?
Reducing sugar test If no colour change get fresh sample Add 2cm3 of HCl Place in water bath for 3mins Add 1/2 spatula of sodium hydrogen carbonate to neutralise Add Benedict's to hydrolysed sample If now positive is a reducing sugar
Why is sucrose not a reducing sugar?
Cannot become linear so no free aldehyde group to react with
Why are most disaccharides reducing sugars?
Able to reduce oxidising agents
Ring opens to reveal aldehyde group
What are the reducing sugars?
Glucose
Fructose
Galactose
Which monomer is starch made from?
Alpha glucose
What is starch’s structure?
Chains branched + unbranched
What is the branched structure called in starch?
Amylopectin
What is the unbranched structure called in starch?
Amylase
Where is starch found?
Form of a small grain
Never in animals
What is starch’s function?
Energy store
What is starch’s structure related to its function?
Large so can’t diffuse out
Insoluble so doesn’t effect water potential
Compact so can be stored in small place]
What is good about starch having a branched structure?
Enzymes simultaneously act on it to produce glucose monomers rapidly
Which monomer is glycogen made from?
Alpha glucose
What is glycogen’s structure?
Similar to starch but shorter chains + highly branched
Where is glycogen found?
Animals + bacterial cells
Stored as small granules in muscles + liver
What is glycogen’s function?
Main carbohydrate storage product of animals
What is glycogen’s structure related to its function?
Insoluble so won’t effect water potential
Large so won’t diffuse out
What is good about glycogen having a highly branched structure?
Enzymes act on it simultaneously so it is rapidly broken down into glucose
Which monomer is cellulose made from?
Beta glucose
What is cellulose’s structure?
Straightened, unbranched chains
That run parallel to allow H bods to form cross links