Building Blocks Of Cells Flashcards
What is a Macromolecule?
Organic biological molecules necessary for life that are composed of thousands of atoms. Made up of smaller building blocks (monomers) that are joined by covalent bonds.
6 Building blocks
Fatty acids
Simple carbohydrates
Hydrocarbon rings
Amino acids
Nucleobases
Glycerol
Biological Molecules
Building Blocks
Macromolecules
Supramolecular assemblies
Organelles
Macromolecules and their corresponding building block (and polymerise)
- Polysaccharides (polymeric) - simple carbohydrates
- Nucleic acid (polymeric) - nucleobases
- Lipids (non-polymeric) - glycerol, fatty acids
4.Proteins (polymeric) - amino acids
Polymeric and Non polymeric
Polymeric molecules are molecules created by polymerisation of building blocks (retreating monomer units)
Lipids are non-polymeric molecules - not repeating units of a monomer
Common building block (monomer) of carbohydrates.
Monosaccharides or simple sugars such as glucose/fructose
Functions of carbohydrates
- Recognition
- Energy : Energy storage in polysaccharides - starch in plant carbohydrate and glycogen in animal carbohydrate
- Structure : Structural polysaccharides (cellulose in plants) - cellulose microfibres in cell plant wall provide structure
What form are energy carbohydrates stored in p,pants and animals
Starch in animals
Glycogen in animals
Functions of a protein
Structural - collagen
Regulatory - insulin
Contractile - actin, myosin
Transport - haemoglobin
Storage - egg white
Protective - antibodies
Catalytic - RNA polymerase
Toxic - diphtheria toxin
How do 20 amino acids differ from each other
‘R’ group (side chain)
Nucleotide components
- phosphate
- base
- deoxyribose sugar
Nucleic Acids function
Storage of genomic information
(Deoxyribonucleic acid) -CGAT
(Ribonucleic acid) - GCUA
Difference between DNA and RNA nucleotide + structure
Either ribose sugar in RNA or deoxyribose sugar in DNA
RNA us single stranded and DNA is double stranded
3 Functions of lipids ??!?!?!?!!?!!?!?!! RE DO THIS ONE AFTER LECTURE
Regulatory: fatty acid + hydrocarbon ring (cholesterol —-> protein ——-> estradiol ——-> Estrogen) ?????
Energy: Triacylglycerol - TAG (fatty acid chains + glycerol)
Structural: cholesterol and phospholipids in cell membrane
Which lipids are found in cell membranes
Structural:
CHOLESTEROL
PHOSPHOLIPIDS
Endosymbiosis
The theory states that two key organelles in eukaryotes are derived from bacteria.
Mitochondria are derived from Proteobacteria.
Chloroplasts were derived from Cyanobacteria.
Three theories that could explain the origin of life on earth
The generation of complex bio molecules as a result of a complex early atmosphere (deep hydrothermal vents)
The generation of replication organising - via RNA
Panspermia
Characteristics that define life
Adaption through evolution
Cellular organisation
Growth and development
Homeostasis
Hereditary
Metabolism
Reproduction
Response to stimuli
Requirements for natural selection
Variation
Inheritance
Selection
Time
Scales of nature
Unaided eye:
- human height
- length of some nerve and muscle cells
- chicken egg
Light Microscopy:
- frog egg
Electron microscopy:
- most plant and animal cells
- nucleus
- most bacteria
- mitochondria
- smallest bacteria
- viruses
- ribosomes
- proteins
- lipids
- small molecules
- atoms
Disaccharide + examples
Two monosaccharides joined together
Glucose + Fructose = sucrose
Galactose + Glucose = Lactose
Glucose + Glucose = Maltose
Protein definition
Molecules by which cells perform their functions in the whole organism
Eukaryote cell range
Prokaryote cell range
Organelles cell range
Eukaryote cell range: 10 -100 micrometers
Prokaryote cell range: less then 5 micrometers
Organelles cell range:
- mitochondria: 1-10 micrometers
- chloroplasts: 2-5 micrometers
Carbohydrates are made up of:
Polymers of monosaccharides
Polysaccharide examples
Starch: (plant carbohydrate)
- amylose
- amylopectin
Glycogen: (animal carbohydrate)
Cellulose - fibre: (plant carbohydrate)
Nucleic acids are:
Polymers of nucleotides
Proteins are:
Polymers of amino acids
Lipids are: (plus examples)
- Not polymers
- hydrophobic
- Heterogenous ( genetic mechanisms that produce the same or different phenotype)
E.g : - triaclglycerols
- steroids
- phospolipids
- glycolipids
- fat soluble vitamins
2 Monosacaride examples
Hexose Monosaccharides:
Are the building blocks of higher order carbohydrates - E.G - Glucose, frictose, galatose.
Pentose Monosaccharides: Are usually part of larger molecules (e.g. nucleic acids) - E.G - ribose, deoxyribose
