Lecture 3 - building blocks of cells Flashcards
Building blocks and examples
Building blocks add together to form macromolecules. These include amino acids, nucleobases, simple carbohydrates and glycerol, fatty acids, hydrocarbon rings.
Macromolecules and examples
Macromolecules are made up of building blocks. These include proteins, DNA, RNA, complex carbohydrates and lipids.
Supramolecular assemblies and examples
Supramolecular assemblies form when two or more macromolecules come together. These include membranes, ribosomes and chromatin.
Organelles and examples
Organelles are formed when two or more supramolecular assemblies come together. These include the nucleus, mitochondrial, Golgi apparatus and the endoplasmic reticulum
Amino acids add to form
Proteins
Nucleobases add to form
DNA or RNA
Simple carbohydrates add to form
Complex carbohydrates
Glycerol,fatty acids, hydrocarbons add to form
Lipids
Macromolecules
Organic biological molecules that are necessary for life
Normally composed of thousands of atoms or more, adding up to a large molecular mass
Made up of smaller units known as building blocks (or monomers) that are joined by covalent (chemically strong) bonds
All life is composed of mainly 4 macromolecules - polysaccharides, nucleic acids, proteins and lipids
What are the 4 macromolecules that all life is mainly composed of?
Polysaccharides (complex carbohydrates), nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), proteins and lipids (non-polymeric molecule)
What is a polymeric macromolecule and what ones of the 4 main macromolecules are polymeric?
Polymeric molecules are molecules that are created by polymerisation of building blocks.
Polymeric -Term used to describe examples of or relating to a polymer, or having properties of a polymer.
All polymeric except for lipids
What are the 4 levels of carbohydrates?
monosaccharides (simple carbohydrates a.k.a sugars)
disaccharides (simple carbohydrates a.k.a sugars)
Oligosaccharides (complex carbohydrates)
Polysaccharides (complex carbohydrates)
Monosaccharides
Single unit building block of carbohydrate
There are two groups…
Hexose monosaccharides - there are 6 carbons and they are the building blocks of higher order carbohydrates (longer, more complex carbohydrates)
Pentose monosaccharides - there are 5 carbines and they are usually part of a larger molecule (for example nucleic acids (DNA and RNA))
How to count carbons on monosaccharides
When counting carbons, identify the oxygen atom then count from the one after in a clockwise direction (the one with an oxygen atom does not count)
Also dont forget to look at for side chains
Common hexose monosaccharides
glucose, fructose and galactose
Common pentose monosaccharides
Deoxyribose (part of DNA nucleotide) and ribose (part of RNA nucleotide)