Macromolecules Flashcards
Enzymes that make polymers are called
polymerases
Polymerization rxns can also be called ____ or ____ rxns
dehydration (synthesis) or condensation
What is a peptide bond?
the bond that links 2 AA together
How is a peptide bond created between 2 AA?
The OH from the COOH combines with one of the H on the H2N, which then leaves as water, resulting in a bond formation between the C (from the COOH) and the N (from the H2N).
AA Synthesis: what functional groups are combined/connected together?
The H2N of the monomer to be added is added to the carboxylic acid side of the other monomer or polymer
What types of bonds or interactions distinguish each level of protein structure: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quarternary?
Primary: refers to the sequence of AA
Secondary: refers to the interactions between backbone atoms i.e. hydrogen bonding can form helices or pleated sheets
Tertiary: refers to the interactions between the side chain atoms (R group atoms) of the AAs in the same polypeptide- inc. van der waals, disulfide bridges, electrostatic interactions, etc.
Quarternary: same interactions as tertiary, but these interactions occur between side chains of different polypeptides
Why can proteins interact better with aqueous environment compared to fats?
proteins fold so that the hydrophobic/nonpolar AA are in the center and hydrophilic AA are on the outside.
what is the general chemical formula for a carbohydrate
CnH2nOn
what’s the chemical formula for glucose, fructose, and galactose?
C6H12O6
Ribose and deoxyribose are ___ C sugars
5
what 2 monomers make 1) maltose, 2) sucrose, and 3) lactose
- glucose and glucose
- glucose and fructose
- glucose and galactose
cell surface markers: different types of cells will have different types of carbohydrates on their cell surface, which makes them ____ from other types of cells.
differentiable
A fatty acid is a hydrocarbon chain with a ____ at the beginning of the chain
COOH
What’s the difference between saturated and unsaturated FA
saturated = all C are saturated with H (no C=C) unsaturated = not all C are saturated with H (contains at least one or more C=C)
Do saturated or unsaturated FA have more van der waal force interactions between them and why?
saturated have more because they are able to stack better compared to unsaturated (unsaturated hydrocarbon chains are bent because of the C=C)
Describe the structure of a triglyceride
3 FA connected to a glycerol molecule (backbone)
describe the structure of phospholipids
glycerol backbone with 2 FA and 1 phosphate group, which adds little polarity to the molecule (polar heads form a layer with each other with the nonpolar tails sticking out (or in if referring to a cell membrane)
what is a terpene
made of 2 isoprene units
used to synthesize waxes (i.e. earwax), cholesterol, precursor for lipids
how many isoprene and terpene units make squalene?
squalene is made of 6 isoprene units, or 3 terpene units
what is a terpenoid
a modified terpene by addition of other elements i.e. vit A
describe the structure of cholesterol
backbone = 3 6 C rings with a 5 C ring bonded together
makes cell membranes, bile salts, steroid precursor, and vit D precursor
Alpha bonds in secondary protein structure is a ___ bond that connects every third AA
Hydrogen
Name 3 monosaccharides that are hexoses and 2 that are pentoses
hexoses = glucose, fructose, galactose pentoses = ribose, deoxyribose
Distinguish between the words amphipathic and amphoteric
amphipathic = has both polar and nonpolar aspects amphoteric = can act as lewis acid or lewis base
Squalene is also called a ___terpene
tri
what is the covalent bond between 2 sugar molecules called?
glycosidic linkage
what is celloboise?
2 glucoses bonded with beta configuration (as compared to sucrose and maltose, which are bonded with alpha configuration)
lactose is also bonded with beta configuration
what is an oligosaccaride?
a few carbohydrate monomers bonded together
glycogen is a polymer of glucose with _____ linkages
alpha 1,4 (primarily, although alpha 1,6 linkages are also present)
why can’t humans digest cellulose?
because it contains beta-glycosidic linkages, which humans cannot break
what is polysaccharide hydrolysis?
breakdown of polysaccharides by adding water
why are polysaccharides good for energy storage even though polysaccharide hydrolysis is thermodynamically favored?
because polysaccharide hydrolysis doesn’t occur at a significant rate without enzyme catalysts. (If the activation energy of polysaccharide hydrolysis were so low that enzymes were not required for breakdown, the polysaccharides would hydrolyze spontaneously and could not then be used for energy storage.)
Lipids: the only significant sphingolipid is sphingomyelin, found in the ___________________
myelin sheaths of neurons
Waxes are long-chain fats esterified to long chain __1__ and act as very hydrophobic __2__ barriers
- alcohols
2. protective
Which vitamins are fat soluble?
Vit A, D, E, and K
