Chapter 3 Flashcards
Biological Macromolecules
Macromolecule
a sub-set of organic molecules that are especially important for life. Their fundamental component is carbon
Functional group
groups with specific chemical properties
Hydrophobic
water fearing/hating
Hydrophilic
water loving
Amphipathic
has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts (phospholipid)
Monomer
long chains of carbon rings with different groups
Polymer
combination of many monomers using covalent bonds
Denaturation
alteration of the peptide bonds that lead to a change in protein shape and often results in the loss of protein function
Name the 4 macromolecules
Lipid, Protein, Carbohydrate, Nucleic Acid
Understand how functional groups are classified as hydrophobic or hydrophilic.
A functional group is charged or polar will interact with water and be classified as hydrophilic
A functional group that is not charged or polar would not interact with water and would be hydrophobic
- Know the basic structure of each of the monomers (monosaccharides, hydrocarbon chains, amino acids, and nucleotides) that make up the four macromolecules.
What is the basic chemical formula for a carbohydrate?
(CH2O)n
What are the 3 subtypes of carbohydrates?
Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, Polysaccharides
Classify a monosaccharide based on the number of carbons.
3-7 carbons (triose, tetrose, pentose, hexose, heptose)
Classify a monosaccharide based on the position of the carbonyl group.
If it is at the end of the chain, it is Aldose; If it is the second from the end, it is Ketose
For each of the examples of monosaccharides (glucose, galactose, and fructose) know where they occur in nature, and if they are an aldose or ketose.
Glucose-Energy storage in plants and animals; Aldose
Galactose-Sugars found in milk, also in avocados and beets; Aldose
Fructose-Sugars found in fruits, honey, “root vegetables”; Ketose
What type of bond is formed between monomers in a disaccharide?
Glycosidic bond; covalent bond
For each of the examples of disaccharides (sucrose, lactose, and maltose) know where they occur in nature, and of which two monomers they are composed.
Sucrose-Table sugar; Glucose and Fructose
Lactose-Milk sugar; Glucose and Galactose
Maltose-Malt/grain sugar; Glucose and Glucose
For each of the examples of polysaccharides (starch, glycogen, cellulose, and chitin) know where they occur in nature.
Starch-stored form of glucose in plants
Glycogen-stored form of glucose in humans and animals
Cellulose-Cell wall in plants (structural)
Chitin-exoskeleton of arthropods and fungal cell walls
Know which types of glycosidic bonds lead to branching or straight chain polysaccharides.
1-6 branches the chain; 1-4 is a straight chain
What is the distinguishing characteristic of a lipid?
hydrophobic
List some of the functions lipids provide.
Long-term fat storage, insulation, building block of many hormones, important for cellular membrane
Name the four main types of lipids.
Fats/oils, waxes, phospholipids, steroids
Fats consist of what two basic molecules?
Glycerol and fatty acid
What type of bond is formed between a glycerol and a fatty acid?
Ester bond
What is the difference between a saturated and unsaturated fat?
Saturated is only single bonds between C molecules while unsaturated has hydrocarbon chains with double bonds
Which is fat harmful to our health and which is beneficial?
Unsaturated is beneficial while saturated is harmful
In what ways do they harm or benefit humans? (fats)
Unsaturated can help to lower cholesterol levels in the bloods while saturated can cause plaque to form in the arteries
What does it mean if a fat is monounsaturated vs. polyunsaturated?
Monounsaturated means that there is only one double bond while polyunsaturated has more than one double bond in the hydrocarbon
Why do some plants utilize waxes?
Conserve water in the plant and birds use to prevent water from sticking to their feathers
Where are phospholipids found?
Plasma membrane
What is different about the structure of a phospholipid vs a fat?
Fats have 3 fatty acid chains while phospholipids only have 2 fatty acid chains
What parts of the phospholipid are hydrophobic and what is hydrophilic?
Hydrophobic tail and hydrophilic head
In a cell membrane, how are the phospholipids arranged?
Two layers with the heads facing out to the environment and the tails touching the other tails
In what way are steroids structurally different from other lipids?
Steroids have a fused ring structure
What is the most common steroid in the human body and why is it important?
Cholesterol-precursor to Vitamin D, Hormones (testosterone, estrogen), Digestive salts (aid in fat absorption)
List several functions of proteins.
Structural, regulatory, contractile, protetive
What is the basic monomer that make up proteins?
Amino acids
How many different amino acids are there? How are they different?
20 amino acids as a result of 20 different R-groups that give a unique form and function
What is the name of the bond linking amino acids together to form peptides?
Peptide bond
What is the term used to describe a chain of amino acids?
polypeptide
How is a polypeptide different from a protein?
It is only called a protein once the polypeptides are joined together and have a distinct shape and a unique function
Name the four levels of protein structure and how they are different.
Primary-sequence of amino acids in polypeptide chain
Secondary- folding of polypeptide in some regions
Tertiary-3d structure with complex chemical interactions mainly with the R-groups
Quaternary-polypeptides are sub-units and several join together
What are the two most common secondary structures? Which type of bond holds the secondary structures together?
alpha helix and beta pleated sheet; hydrogen bonds
Which types of bonds hold the tertiary structure together?
Complex-ionic, hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, special disulfide linkages
What term describes the polypeptides that interact to form a quaternary structure?
Sub-units
Explain what “denaturation” is and give examples of conditions under which it may occur.
Altering bonds in a protein that changes the shape and causes loss of function
Temperature, pH, exposure to chemicals
Name the two main types of nucleic acids and their functions.
DNA-genetic material in all living organisms, has information to make proteins and RNA products, turns genes on or off
RNA-protein synthesis with DNA direction, types
What are the monomers that make up nucleic acids called?
Nucleotide-nitrogenous base, phosphate group, pentose sugar
How do the monomers differ between DNA and RNA?
DNA-deoxyribose sugar and Thymine
RNA-ribose sugar and uracil
What is the name of the bond between the phosphate group and the sugar group that joins the backbone of nucleic acid molecules?
Phosphodiester bonds/linkages
What type of bond is found linking the nitrogenous bases?
Hydrogen bonds
Know whether DNA and RNA is double or single-stranded.
DNA is double RNA is typically single
Describe the specific pairing of nitrogenous bases in complementary DNA strands.
A double bonds to T
C triple bonds to G
