ch.2 biomolecules Flashcards
Name the four main types of biomolecules
Carbohydrates, proteins, fats, nucleic acids
List three of the four elements most characteristic of biomolecules.
Carbohydrates don’t contain nitrogen
Fats also don’t usually contain nitrogen, but also lack oxygen
Proteins are known for their long backbones and goes in pattern of nitrogen then 2 carbons
answer: C,H,O,N
Name 4 of the five most common molecules (these are small molecules, not biomolecules) on prebiotic earth, the raw materials for the primordial soup (the starting solution of the Miller-Urey experiments).
Hydrogen H2, methane CH4, water H2O, ammonia NH3
Name the kind of molecules that were predicted by Oparin to form in the high-energy reducing atmosphere of pre-biotic earth.
Monosaccharides, glycerol/fatty acids, nucleic acids, amino acids
Name (one-letter abbreviation) the four “charged” nucleosides that were the building blocks of the first RNA molecules.
Uracil, guanine, adenine, cytosine
Polymerization (dehydration condensation) and depolymerization (hydrolysis) of all four biomolecules occurred chaotically in the primordial soup. What process is the only way a chemical form can persist in this chaos.
The molecule uses its form as a template to replicate itself
Describe the important characteristics of the Miller-Urey experiment regarding pre-biotic earth. Be able to explain how the addition of an oxygenated environment would change the outcome of the experiment.
Oxidation is an important characteristic of the experiment because oxygen is very electronegative, meaning it takes electrons from others bc it’s “hungrier” as well as stronger than others. If oxidation had occurred, it would’ve prevented molecules like amino acids, glycerol/fatty acids, proteins, and nucleic acids from fully developing due to it fragmenting it or just preventing these molecules from forming at all.
In one or two sentences, describe the steps of a dehydration condensation reaction, and include the initial reactants and final products. Ditto for hydrolysis.
Dehydration condensation requires energy and water is released to combine monomers to make polymers.
Hydrolysis releases energy and water is formed to break apart polymers.
carbohydrate monomer
monosaccharide, (CH2O)n
protein monomer
amino acid, N-C-C, different R/side chain
lipid monomer
“fatty acid”, # of C doesn’t equal # of O, which makes it hydrophobic
triglyceride
made from glycerol and 3 fatty acids, has hydrocarbon tail, main energy storage molecule of plants and animals (e storage)
phospholipid
made from glycerol backbone (hydrophilic) attached to 2 fatty acids (hydrophobic), allows cell membranes to develop
saturated fats
as many H as possible, no double bonds, solid at room temperature
unsaturated fats
has O which causes double bond/bend/kink, liquid at room temperature
Name the structural feature of an amino acid is responsible for the huge diversity in protein shapes.
amino acids have very different properties depending on their side (R) chains, which allows for a big variety of amino acids
side (R) chain
allow huge diversity in protein shapes due to its capability of having different features: hydrophilic (polar), hydrophobic (nonpolar), electrically charged (hydrophilic)
Know what type of bonds (hydrogen or covalent) hold the string of amino acids together in a protein (primary structure). Know whether these bonds strong or weak. And know the name for this type of bond occurring specifically between amino acids.
covalent bonds (strong) hold string of amino acids together in a protein. Covalent bonds between each amino acid are peptide bonds and are ALWAYS between the 1st carbon of the amino acid and the N of the other amino acid
Know how to position the three phosphates (circled “P” is fine) on the appropriate carbon of the ribose.
connect on carbon-5 of internal ribose
Know how to draw the internal ribose and how to number its carbon molecules.
pentagon with O at it’s point, clockwise 1-5 carbons, have an OH at carbon-2/3
Know which carbon of the ribose the base attaches to.
carbon-1
Name the part of these charged nucleosides that provides the energy to drive polymerization.
nucleoside triphosphate: when they attach themselves to RNA polymers, the covalent bond between 2 of the three triphosphates break off, in which that energy is used to make a covalent bonds between the other nucleotides, allowing polymerization to occur
Know which part of a growing RNA polymer a “charged” nucleotide (the triphosphate version) attacks
the 3’ end where the nucleotides connect and form covalent bonds with ribose
