Chapter 1: Biochemistry and the Unity of Life Flashcards
Describe the key classes of biomolecules and differentiate between them.
- Proteins: biological catalysts 2. Nucleic acids: information storage 3. Lipids: fuel and structure 4. Carbohydrates: fuel and cell to cell communication
Name three organelles found in plant cells but not in animal cells.
- Chloroplast 2. Vacuoles 3. Cell wall
Which element serves as a backbone to all organic molecules?
Carbon
Name one element (not C, H, O) that exists in cells as positively charged ion, and one as negatively charged ion from the table.
Positive: Potassium, Calcium, Sodium Negative: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sulfur
Which of the four major types of biomolecules have sulfur?
Proteins
How many building blocks are there for proteins?
20 (basic amino acids)
How many building blocks are there for DNA?
4 (nitrogenous bases)
How many building blocks are there for RNA?
4 (nitrogenous bases with the substitution of thymine with uracil)
Why does ATP not accumulate in the body?
There is a fixed amount of ATP. It is used and reused over and over again (ATP cycle)
Are the two DNA strands parallel or antiparallel?
Antiparallel.
What are the elements present in each of the 4 main biomolecules?
Proteins: C, H, O, N, S Nucleic acids: C, H, O, N, P Lipids: C, H, O, P, N Carbohydrates: C, H, O, rarely N
What two types of base pairing stabilize the two-stranded structure of DNA?
- Adenine to thymine 2. Cytosine to guanine
What is the difference between a monolayer and a bilayer?
A monolayer is composed of a single layer of lipid molecules, whereas a bilayer has two layers facing each other.
Which types of the four major biomolecules are linear polymers? Which are non-polymeric?
Proteins and nucleic acids are linear polymers, lipids and carbohydrates are non-polymeric/non-linear.
Name a biological process where DNA replication is required.
Meiosis and mitosis.
