Biological Molecules

Question 1

What is the General formula of Carbohydrates?

Answer 1

(CH2O)n

Question 2

Name some Small molecules ( roughly 30 Carbon atoms with a molecular weight of 100-1000)

Answer 2

Sugars, amino acids, nucleotides, lipids/fats

Question 3

Examples of Large molecules (macromolecules)

Answer 3

Polysaccharides, proteins, nucleic acids

Question 4

Name the 2 types of monosaccharide and the difference between them

Answer 4

Ketone = ketose (with =O in the middle)
Aldehyde = aldose (with =O on the end)

Question 5

Describe the structure of glucose

Answer 5

6 carbon atoms
D or L configuration ( depends on the C atom- whether its asymmetric or not)
Can exist in long chain or ring structure

Question 6

What is the Difference between alpha and beta glucose?

Answer 6

Alpha- OH groups on opposite sides of the carbon (on the c1 and c4)

Beta- the oh groups on the same side of c1 and c4

Question 7

Give examples of some disaccharides

Answer 7

Sucrose= galactose + fructose
Lactose= galactose + glucose

Question 8

What happens when a disaccharide breaks apart?

Answer 8

Condensation reaction releases water ( breaking of 1-4 glycosidic bond)

Question 9

Give examples of some polysaccharides

Answer 9

Cellulose (beta 1-4 glycosidic bonds)

Starch/ glycogen ( alpha 1-4 glycosidic bonds)

Question 10

Describe the structure of glycogen

Answer 10

Made of aldose
It’s a hexose
It is very compact and branches for 1-6 glycosidic bonds

Question 11

What is an Oligosaccharide

Answer 11

Contain many different monosaccharides

Question 12

Give an Example of oligosaccharides

Answer 12

Blood groups- difference in monosaccharides -> difference in structure -> difference in space and difference in antibodies needed

Question 13

Describe the structure of an Amino acid

Answer 13

Amine group, R group and a carboxylic acid group all around a central Carbon atom

Question 14

What happens when 2 amino acids bond?

Answer 14

Peptide and releases water in a condensation reaction

Question 15

Name and describe the types of protein structure

Answer 15

Primary = covalent bonds forming polymers
Secondary = regular folded form in helixes or sheets
Tertiary structure= 3D structure
Quaternary structure= multiple different secondary structures together

Question 16

Name some Other functions of amino acids ( not making proteins)

Answer 16

They are the bases for which all hormones are made

Question 17

Describe the structure of a Nucleotide

Answer 17

Sugar, base and phosphate

Question 18

What holds nucleotides together?

Answer 18

Sugar phosphate binding to make chains which turns into helixes

Question 19

How many bonds between opposite bases?

Answer 19

G-C = 3 Hydrogen bonds 
T-A = 2 Hydrogen bonds

Question 20

Where is the oxygen lost from in the DEOXYribose?

Answer 20

2’ carbon atom

Question 21

AMP- what does it stand for and what does it do?

Answer 21

Adenosine monophosphate
cAMP- Second messenger model
AMP (straight chain) - RNA synthesis

Question 22

Meaning of saturated, unsaturated cis and trans as relating to lipids

Answer 22

Saturated= no C-C double bonds
Unsaturated= some C-C double bonds

Cis= H atoms same side of carbon chain - its bent
Trans= H atoms opposite side of carbon chain

Question 23

Describe the structure of a triglyceride

Answer 23

Glycerol and 3 fatty acids- the bonds between them is an ester bond

Question 24

Describe the structure and function of a Phospholipid

Answer 24

Glycerol, 2 fatty acids and a phosphate group

Make up cell membranes ( using a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail)

Question 25

What is the relation between phospholipids and apoptosis?

Answer 25

Changes configuration when going into apoptosis to tell the other cells to clean up the mess left by the apoptotic cell

Question 26

What is Cholesterol and what does it do?

Answer 26

Actually a steroid - the OH group interacts with the polar lipid heads and the steroic scaffold interacts with the fatty acids
Decreases fluidity of the membrane but increases flexibility (to allow some insoluable substances through)

Question 27

Name some Important structure and function relationships

Answer 27

Proteins denature or mutate affects function

Starch and glycogen are major energy sources for humans but we cant digest cellulose

Single oxygen difference makes DNA much more stable than RNA

Question 28

Give some Examples of single molecule diseases

Answer 28

Diabetes - no insulin leads to not being able to regulate glucose

Sickle cell - one amino acid change into a globin chain which causes haemoglobin to aggregate into polymers

Cystic fibrosis- absence of a membrane protein that transports chloride leads to altered property of secretions