building blocks of cells Flashcards
How can biological molecules be organized?
Biological Molecules can be organized into a number of higher-order structures
what are the biological building block molecules?
- amino acids
- nucleobases
- simple carbohydrates
- glycerol & fatty acids
- hydrocarbon rings
what are the biological macromolecules?
- proteins
- DNA & RNA (nucleic acid)
- complex carbohydrates
- lipids
what are the biological supramolecular assemblies?
- membranes
- ribosomes
- chromatin
what are the biological organelles?
- nucleus
- mitochondria
- Golgi
- ER
what are macromolecules composed of?
Typically composed of thousands of atoms or more, adding up to a large molecular
mass
what are macromolecules made of?
Made up of smaller units called building blocks (or monomers)
what are building blocks/monomers bonded by?
are joined by covalent (chemically strong) bonds
what do the building blocks form?
Most building blocks come together from polymeric molecules, some form nonpolymeric molecules
what is a biomolecule?
A biomolecule is ANY molecule that is produced by a living organism
what are the four different types of macromolecules?
- polysaccharides (complex carbs)
- nucleic ac ids (DNA and RNA)
- proteins
- lipids (non-polymeric macromolecule)
what are some examples of polymeric and non-polymeric macromolecules?
Polysaccharides, nucleic acids, and proteins are polymeric macromolecules, and lipids are
non-polymeric.
what are polymeric molecules?
Polymeric molecules are molecules created by polymerization of building blocks
what are the four different types of carbohydrates?
- Monosaccharides (Simple carbohydrates, a.k.a. sugars)
- Disaccharides (Simple carbohydrates, a.k.a. sugars)
- Oligosaccharides (Complex carbohydrates)
- Polysaccharides (Complex carbohydrates)
what are monosaccharides?
- The single-unit building blocks of carbohydrates
- simple carbohydrates
what are the two types of monosaccharides?
- hexose monosaccharides
- pentose monosaccharides
what are hexose monosaccharides?
building blocks of higher-order carbohydrates
what are hexose monosaccharides?
building blocks of higher-order carbohydrates
what are pentose monosaccharides?
Are usually part of larger molecules
what are disaccharides?
two monosaccharides joined together
glucose + fructose = ?
glucose and fructose monosaccharides form sucrose
galactose + glucose = ?
glucose and galactose monosaccharides form lactose
glucose + glucose = ?
two glucose monosaccharides form maltose
what are oligosaccharides?
- Several monosaccharides linked together
- Three to approx 10 monosaccharides linked together
what are polysaccharides?
- Many monosaccharides linked together
- Approx > 10 linked monosaccharides
- starch (plant carbohydrate)
- glycogen (animal carbohydrate)
- cellulose - fiber (plant carbohydrate)
what are carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are polymers of monosaccharides
what are the functions of carbohydrates?
- recognition
- energy
- structure
what is nucleic acid?
Informational molecules:
* deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
* ribonucleic acid (RNA)
what are polynucleotides?
they are the common bases
Thymine: T
Adenine: A
Cytosine: C
Guanine: G
Uracil: U
what are polymers if nucleotides?
Nucleic acids are polymers of nucleotides
what are proteins?
Molecules by which cells perform their
functions in the whole organism
what are proteins polymers of?
Proteins are polymers of amino acids
how do the amino acid groups differ?
The 20 amino acids differ by their ‘R’ group
(R group = side chain)
what is the mRNA?
messenger
what is the protein?
workhorse of the cell
what are the functions of proteins?
- Structural
- Regulatory Insulin
- Contractile
- Transport
- Storage
- Protective
- catalytic
- Toxic
what is the structural function of proteins?
Collagen – a protein in skin and bones
what is the regulatory function of proteins?
Insulin – a peptide hormone
what is the contractile function of proteins?
Actin, myosin – muscle proteins
what is the transport function of proteins?
Haemoglobin – carries oxygen
Cytochrome c – e.g. carries electrons
what is the storage function of proteins?
Egg white (albumin), seed proteins
what is the protective function of proteins?
Antibodies (e.g. lgG) – immune proteins
what is the catalytic function of proteins?
Hydrolytic in lysosomes
RNA polymerase – enzymes
what is the toxic function of proteins?
Botulinum toxin, diphtheria toxin
what are lipids?
- NOT polymers
- Heterogeneous
e.g:
§ Triacylglycerols (“fats”)
§ Steroids (sterols)
§ Phospholipids
§ Glycolipids
§ Fat-soluble vitamins - Hydrophobic
what are the functions of lipids?
- structural - cholesterol and phospholipids in the cell membrane
- regulatory
- energy
what can you build up using repeats of monosaccharides?
disaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides
what makes different sugars?
changes in the groups of 6 carbon rings
what happens when there are different carbon chemical group rings?
chemical group on carbon rings makes them act in different ways
