Lec2: Biomolecules Flashcards
what are the two major classes of biomolecules in the human body?
inorganic and organic compounds
common organic compounds
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acid
common inorganic compounds
water, salts, acids and bases
how much body weight does water constitute?
2/3
what is the most abundant inorganic compound in the human body
water
water has a high heat capacity which means it absorbs and releases large amount of heat before its _____ changes
temperature
water is considered a universal solvent due to its?
polarity
water has a cushioning property which means that it can serve as a?
protective substance
Amount of heat that must be absorbed/lost for one gram of a substance to change its
temperature by 1oC (buffers the Earth’s Temperature)
high specific heat
Quantity of heat a liquid must absorb 1 gram to be converted to gaseous state
high heat of vaporization
what is the high specific heat of water
1 calorie/g/1oC
high heat of vaporization of water
540 cal/g
how much does water expand when it freezes?
approximately 9%
which metals found in the body contain the most salt?
calcium and phosphorus (bones and teeth)
the process by which salt (ionic compound) when dissolved in body fluids, easily separate into their own ions
dissociation
these are substances that conduct an electrical current in solution
electrolytes
which ions are essential to nerve impluse?
sodium and potassium
Fe forms part of the _______ that transport oxygen in the RBC
hemoglobin molecule
three main characteristics of an acid
- releases hydrogen ions (H+) in detectable
amounts (dissolve in water); - sour taste;
- proton donors
Acids that liberate their protons
strong acids
Acids that ionize incompletely
weak acids
three main characteristics of a base
- bitter taste
- slippery texture
- proton acceptors
it is an avid proton seeker and any base containing this ion is considered STRONG BASE
hydroxyl ion
who devised the pH scale in 1909?
Sörensen
the pH scale is based on the number of
______ in solution expressed in terms
of moles per liter
proton
the number of hydrogen ions exactly equals the number of hydroxyl ions
pH 7 (neutral)
there are chemicals that help regulate the acid-base balance along with the kidney and lungs
buffers
depression of central nervous system
acidosis
Hyperexcitability of the nervous system
Alkalosis
these are formed by polymerization of identical/similar subunits called Polymers
macromolecules
what are the four classes of macromolecules?
- carbohydrates
- lipids
- proteins
- nucleic acids
the are organic molecules made up of sugars and their polymers (C, H, O)
carbohydrates
this monosaccharide is the universal cellular fuel
glucose
these monosaccharides form a part of the nucleic acids
ribose and deoxyribose
disaccharides are double sugars formed by the combination of 2 monosaccharides through?
dehydration process
examples of disaccharides
maltose, lactose, sucrose
these are formed by hundreds of polymers or thousands of monosaccharides
polysaccharides
storage polysaccharide found in plant
starch
storage polysaccharide found in animals
glycogen
these are structural polysaccharides
chitin and cellulose
Enter in the body via fat-marbled meats, egg yolks, milk products and oils
lipids
lipids are soluble in ______ and insoluble in _____
non-polar solvents; water
lipids are made up of 3 principal groups:
- neutral fats
- phospholipids
- steroids
functions of lipids:
▪ Energy storage
▪ Compact fuel reservoir
▪ Cushions vital organ
▪ Insulates against heat loss
these are composed of fatty acids and glycerol
neutral fats
very similar nuetral fats but it has glycerol backbone attached to only 2 fatty acid tails + (PO4-) group attached
phospholipids
phospholipids form ______ at cell surface
lipid bilayer
flat molecules formed of 4 interlocking rings
steroids
single most important steroid which enters in the body by consuming meat, eggs and cheese
cholesterol
deposit of fatty substances in artery walls of the heart
ATHEROSCLEROSIS
defined as a complex polymers of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds
proteins
proteins account for almost ____ of cellular dry weight
50%
proteins are commonly made of only _______
20 amino acid monomers (building block)
what are the 2 classifications of proteins?
Fibrous/Structural protein and Globular/functional protein
these proteins are important in binding structures together and for providing strength in certain tissues
fibrous/structural proteins
mobile, generally spherical molecules that play crucial roles in all biological processes
globular/functional proteins
Highly specialized protein that recognize, bind, and inactivate bacteria, toxins,
and some viruses
antibodies
Regulate growth and development (GROWTH HORMONE, INSULIN, NERVE GROWTH FACTOR)
hormones
Hemoglobin transport blood; carry cholesterol
transport protein
Essential to virtually all biochemical reactions in the body to hasten the process by millionfold
catalyst (enzymes)
what are three main types of amino acids?
- essential amino acids
- nonessential amino acids
- conditional amino acids
these are amino acids that cannot be produced by the body and are usually taken in diet
essential amino acids
amino acids produced by the body
nonessential amino acids
usually not essential, except in times of illness and stress
conditional amino acids
amino acid chains containing fewer than 50 units
polypeptide chains
specific and unique AA sequence
primary structure of protein
regular, repeated folding of a protein’s polypeptide helical structure (alpha helix) or sheet structure
secondary structure of protein
sheets often form fibers that have structural function; helical structures tend to have globular form
tertiary structure of protein
polymer of nucleotides; make up the genes which provide the blueprint of life; consists
of C, O, H, N, P
nucleic acids
building blocks of nucleic acid
nucleotide
this is the genetic material inside the nucleus
DNA
RNA exists in three forms:
messenger, ribosomal, transfer
