Chapter 3 - The Molecules of Life Flashcards
What are the four macromolecules?
- Carbohydrates
- Lipids
- Nucleic Acids
- Proteins
Carbohydrates
- function in energy storage/structural support
- made of 1+ simple sugar (monomer)
Lipids
- organic molecules that are usually hydrophobic
- ->long term energy storage, hormone synthesis
4 types of Lipids
- Fatty Acids: long carbon chains
- Triglycerides: fat stores chemical energy (insulation/padding)
- Cholesterol: function in cell membranes as base for hormones/pigment
- Phospholipids: form cell membranes
Cell membrane bi-layer
made up of hydrophobic tail and hydrophilic head
Nucleic Acids
- DNA, RNA
- -> critical for storage, transmission, and execution of genetic instructions
What is a monomer?
small molecules
What is a polymer?
stringing together of many smaller molecules (monomers)
Proteins
- made up of amino acids (monomers)
- encoded by a gene (100s-1000s of amino acids linked together)
What is the monomer of carbohydrates?
a monosaccharide (simple sugar) --> ex. glucose, fructose
What is an isomer?
molecules with the same molecular formula but different structures
What is a disaccharide?
- “double sugar”
- two monosaccharides joined together by dehydrated reaction
- -> ex. lactose = glucose + galactose
What is a dehydrated reaction?
removing a molecule from water
What is a polysaccharide?
- “complex carbohydrate”
- long chain (polymer) of monosaccharides
What is a peptide?
string of amino acids joined by peptide bonds
