Chapter 5 - Test Review Flashcards
What are macromolecules?
Giant molecules formed by the joining of smaller molecules (usually by a dehydration reaction). Composed of thousands of covalently connected atoms.
What are monomers? How are they used to build polymers?
Small building block molecules. Repeating units that serve as the building blocks of a polymer. A polymer is a long chain of molecules consisting of many similar or identical building blocks linked by covalent bonds. A polymer is a chain of monomers.
What are the 4 classes of macromolecules? Name their monomers (M), polymers (P) and the types of linkages (L) between the monomers.
- Sugars (Carbohydrates) - M; monosaccharide - P; polysaccharide - L; glycosidic
- Lipids - M; fatty acids - P; triacylglycerols - L; ester linkage
- Proteins - M; amino acids - P; polypeptides - L; peptide bond
- Nucleic Acids - M; nucleotides - P; polynucleotides - L; phosphodiester
What is a dehydration reaction?
Monomers are connected by a reaction in which two molecules are covalently bonded to each other, with the loss of a water molecule. When this bond forms, each monomer contributes part of the water molecule. One monomer provides the hydroxyl group (-OH) and the other provides a hydrogen (-H). These reactions are repeated as monomers are added to the chain, 1 by 1, creating a polymer.
What is a hydrolysis reaction? Give an example.
Essentially the reverse of the dehydration reaction. Hydrolysis means water breakage. The bond between monomers is broken as polymers are disassembled. The bond is broken by the addition of a water molecule with the hydroxyl attaching to one group and the hydrogen to another. Example - digestion.
What are carbohydrates?
Sugars and the polymers of sugars.
What are monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides?
- The simplest of sugars are monosaccharides or simple sugars. Monosaccharides generally have molecular formulas that are some multiple of the unit CH2O. Glucose (C6H12O6) is the most common monosaccharide.
- Disaccharides are double sugars joined by covalent bonds; or two monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic linkage (a covalent bond formed by a dehydration reaction). The most common disaccharide is sucrose (table sugar) and is composed of glucose + fructose.
- Polysaccharides are macromolecules; or polymers with a few hundred to a few thousand monosaccharides joined by glycosidic linkages.
How are monosaccharides classified?
- The location of the carbonyl group. Monosaccharides have a carbonyl group (CO) and multiple hydroxyl groups (-H). Sugars vary in their location of the carbonyl group. When the carbonyl group is at the end of the carbon skeleton, that sugar is known as an aldehyde sugar (ALDOSES). When the carbonyl group is within the carbon skeleton, that sugar is known as a ketone sugar (KETOSES).
- Another criteria for classifying sugars is the size of the carbon skeleton (from 3-7 carbons long). Skeletons with 6 carbons are called HEXOSES; i.e. glucose, galactose, and fructose. Skeletons with 5 carbon sugars are called PENTOSES; i.e. ribose and ribulose. Skeletons with 3 carbons are called TRIOSES; i.e. glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone.
What is an aldehyde?
An aldehyde sugar is when the carbonyl group is at the end of the carbon skeleton.
What is a ketone?
A ketone sugar is when the carbonyl group is within (in the middle) of the carbon skeleton.
What is a glycosidic bond? What are the different glycosidic bonds?
A covalent bond formed by a dehydration reaction.
- Maltose - 2 glucose molecules
- Sucrose - glucose and fructose (most present disaccharide)
- Lactose - glucose and galactose
Distinguish between the glycosidic bonds of starch and cellulose.
- Starch; most glucose monomers are joined by a 1-4 linkage of alpha glucose monomers. All of the glucose monomers are in the a (alpha) configuration. The monomers are in the same orientation (pointing down).
- Cellulose - consist of glucose monomers joined by 1-4 B (beta) glycosidic linkages. Every B glucose monomer is upside down with respect to its neighbors (every other; up, down, up, down, etc.)
What are the functions of carbohydrates?
Fuel; building material; energy storage; biosynthesis; structure; cell recognition / adhesion
What are the 3 polysaccharides of plants and animals? What are their functions?
- Starch - stored energy in plants; stored in structures called plastids. Two kinds of starch; amylose (unbranched) and amylopectin (somewhat branched)
- Glycogen - stored energy in muscle cells; branched
- Cellulose - fibers in plant cell walls; all polysaccharides composed entirely of glucose monomers. Always unbranched; hydrogen bonds between parallel cellulose molecules hold them together
* In starch and glycogen, the polymer chains tend to form helices in unbranched regions because of the angle of the linkages between glucose molecues
What are lipids?
A diverse group of hydrophobic molecules; soluble in fat, but insoluble in water.
What are some functions of lipids?
Energy storage; major component of cell membranes; cell signaling; insulation and cushioning
What distinguishes lipids from other macromolecules?
The one class of biological molecules that does not include true polymers, and they are generally not big enough to be considered macromolecules. They share one important trait, which is their hydrophobic nature. Because lipids consist of mostly hydrocarbon regions, they mix poorly with water.
What are the three types of lipids? And what are their building blocks?
- Fats - fatty acids
- Phospholipids - phosphate group + 2 fatty acids
- Steroids - a carbon skeleton consisting of four fused rings
What are fats? What are fatty acids? What are their building blocks, properties, and importance?
Fats are constructed of two kinds of smaller molecules; glycerol + fatty acids, which are their building blocks.
Fatty acids are composed of a long hydrocarbon chain, usually 16-18 carbons with a carboxyl (-COOH) group at one end.
In order to form triacylglycerols, 3 fatty acids are joined to glycerol by an ester linkage (a bond formed by a dehydration reaction) between a hydroxyl group (-OH) and a carboxyl group (-COOH).
The resulting fat, a triacylglycerol is an important energy source.
What is an ester linkage?
A covalent bond formed by a dehydration reaction between a hydroxyl group (-OH) and a carboxyl group (-COOH). A linkage between fatty acids.