Biological Molecules (Biological Molecules) Flashcards
Covalent bonding
Atoms share a pair of electrons in their outer shells
Ionic bonding
Ions with opposite charges attract one another. This electrostatic attraction is know as an ionic bond
Hydrogen bonding
The electrons within a molecule are not evenly distributed but tend to spend more time at one position
Monomer
One of many molecules that come together to form a larger one known as a polymer.
Polymer
Large molecule mad up of repeating smaller molecules, (monomers)
Polymerisation
The process of which polymers are formed together
Polysaccharides (Carbohydrates)
Polymers that are formed by combining together many monosaccharide molecules
Polypeptides (Proteins)
Polymers that are formed by combining together many amino acids (polymers)
Polynucleotides (Nucleic Acids)
Polymers made up of many nucleotide monomers joined together by a series of condensation reactions
Monosaccharide
Are sweet-tasting, soluble substances that have the general formula (CH2O)n’, where n’ can be any number from three to seven
Single Sugar
A monosaccharide, Glucose, Fructose, Galacatose,
Glucose
A monosaccharide present in our body
Peptides
Sequences with fewer than 50 amino acids
Amino Acids
The basic monomer in proteins which combine to make a polymer called polypeptide
Condensation Reactions
When the monosaccharides join, a molecule of water is removed
Hydrolysis Reactions
When water is added to a disaccharide under suitable conditions, breaks the glycosidic bond
Molecule
A group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound
Neucleotides
Complex chemicals made up of an organic base, a sugar and a phosphate.
Fatty Acids
Chains of carbon atoms with the end carbon possessing a carboxyl group
Glycerol
An organic molecule that contains a hydroxyl ground bonded to a carbon atom, bonds with 3 fatty acids in triglyceride
Lipids
Biological macromolecules made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms
Metabolism
All the chemical processes that take place in living organisms are collectively called metabolism
Neutrons
Occur in the nucleus of an atom and have the same mass as protons but no electrical charge
Protons
Occur in the nucleus of an atom and have the same mass as neutrons but do have a positive charge
Electrons
Orbit in shells around the nucleus but a long way from it, negatively charged their number determines the chemical properties of an atom
Isomers
Each of two or more commands with the same formula but a different arrangement of atoms in the molecule and different properties
a-Glucose
The hydroxyl group on carbon 1 is below the plane of the molecule
b-Glucose
The hydroxyl group on carbon 1 is above the plane of the molecule
Disaccharide
A pair of monosaccharides combined together
Fructose
A monosaccharide
Galactose
A monosaccharide
Maltose
A disaccharide
Sucrose
A disaccharide
Lactose
A disaccharide
Test for Reducing Sugars
- Add 2cm3 of the food sample to be tested to a test tube. If the sample is not already in liquid form, first grind it up in water
- Add an equal volume of Benedict’s reagent
- Heat the mixture in a gently boiling water bath for five minutes
- If solution turns orange-brown a reducing sugar is present
Test for Non-Reducing Sugars
- If the sample is not already in liquid form, it must first be ground up in water
- Add 2cm3 of the food sample being tested to 2cm3 of Benedict’s reagent in a test tube and filter
- Place the test tube in a gently boiling water bath for 5 minutes. If the Benedict’s Reagan does not change colour, then a reducing sugar is NOT present
- Add another 2cm3 of the food sample to 2cm3 of dilute hydrochloric acid in a test tube and place the test tube in a gently boiling water bath for five minutes. The dilute hydrochloric acid will hydrolyse any disaccharide present into its constituent monosaccharides
- Slowly add some sodium hydrogen carbonate solution to the test tube in order to neutralise the hydrochloric acid. Test the pH paper to check that the solution is alkaline
- Re-test the resulting solution by heating it with 2cm3 of Benedict’s reagent in a gently boiling water bath for five minutes
- If a non-reducing sugar was present in the original sample, the Benedict’s reagent will now turn orange-brown. This is due to the reducing sugars that were produced from the hydrolysis of the non-reducing sugar
Glycosidic Bonds
The bond that is formed in carbohydrates
Starch
Is a polysaccharide that is found in many parts of a plant, made up of A-glucose monosaccharides
Cellulose
Has straight, unbranched chains which run parallel to one another, allowing hydrogen bonds, B-glucsoe monosaccharides
Branched Chains
Amylopectin, 1,6 and 1,4 glycosidic bonds, many reducing ends
Unbranched Chains
Amylose, compact/occupies small space/storage
Amylopectin
A branched starch
Amylose
A unbranched starch
Osmosis
The passage of water from a region of high water potential to a region where its water potential is lower, through a selectively permeable membrane
1,6 Glycosidic Bonds
Carbon 1 and Carbon 6 from two different glucose molecules bond in a condensation reaction
1,4 Glycosidic Bonds
Carbon 1 and Carbon 4 from two different glucose molecules bond in a condensation reaction
Glycogen
Found in animals and bacteria but never in plant cells, Insoluble, Compact, Highly branched
Microfibrils
Grouped cellulose molecules that come together to form microfibrils
Macrofibrils
Grouped microfibrils that come together to form macrofibrils
Cellulose fibers
Grouped macrofibrils that come together to form cellulose fibres
Roles of lipids
Source of energy, waterproofing, insulation, protection
Ester bonds
The bond that is formed in lipids
Saturated
No double bond between carbon atoms
Mono-saturated
One double bond between carbon atoms
Polyunsaturated
More than one double bond between carbon atoms
Triglycerides
A individual lipid molecule made up of a glycerol molecule and three fatty acids
Phospholipids
Triglyceride in which one of the three fatty acid molecules is replaced by a phosphate molecule
A hydrophilic ‘head’
Interacts with water (is attracted to it) but not with fat
A hydrophobic ‘tail’
Orients itself away from water but mixes readily with fat
Test for Lipids
- To 2cm3 of the sample being tested, add 5cm3 of ethanol
- Shake the tube thoroughly to dissolve any lipid in the sample
- Add 5cm3 of water and shake gently
- A cloudy-white emulsion indicates the presence of a lipid
Amino group
A basic group from which the amino par of the name amino acid is derived
Carboxyl group
An acidic group which gives the amino acid the acid part of its name
R group
A variety of different chemical groups, each amino acid has a different R group
Peptide bond
The bond that is formed in proteins
Primary structure of proteins - Polypeptides
the sequence of amino acids that makes up the polypeptides of a protein
Secondary structure of proteins
The way in which the chain of amino acids of the polypeptides of a protein is folded
Tertiary structure of proteins
The folding of a whole polypeptide chain in a precise way, as determined by the amino acids of which it is composed
Quaternary structure of proteins
A number of polypeptide chains linked together, and sometimes associated with non-protein groups, to form a protein
Disulfide bridges
Which are fairly strong and therefore not easily broken
Ionic bonds
Which are formed between any carboxyl and amino groups that are not involved in forming peptide bonds.
Hydrogen bonds
Many hydrogen bonds are strong but individually are easily broken
Test for proteins
- Place a sample of the solution to be tested in a test tube and add an equal volume of sodium hydroxide solution at room temperature
- Add a few drops of very dilute copper (II) sulphate solution and mix gently
- A purple coloration indicates the presence of peptide bonds and hence a protein
Enzyme
Speed up reactions that already occur, enzymes lower the activation energy of reactions
Activation energy
The minimum amount of energy needed to activate the reaction
Active site
The area of the enzyme molecule that the substrate molecule binds too
Substrate
The molecule on which the enzyme acts
Enzyme-substrate complex
When the enzyme and the substrate have bound together
Product molecules
The products that have been broken down by the enzyme
Denatured
A enzyme
Competitive inhibitors
Have a molecular shape similar to that of the substrate, which allows them to occupy the active site
Non-competitive inhibitors
attach themselves to the enzyme at a binding site which is not the active site, Km doesn’t change, Vmax decreases
Allosteric site
Where the competitive inhibitors bind to on the enzyme
End product inhibition
Negative feedback used to regulate the production of a given molecule
Metabolic pathways
A sequence of chemical reactions undergone by a compound or class of compounds in a living orgaism
Lock and Key analogy
Key = Substrate
Lock = Enzyme
Correct fit, will react. Incorrect substrate, no reaction
Induced-Fit model
Enzyme changes shape on substrate binding. The active site forms a shape complementary to the substrate only after the substrate has been bound