Molecular Biology: Biochemistry Flashcards
what is molecular biology
its the chemistry of living organisms that explains living processes in terms of chemical substances involved
what is life based on
- carbon
what are the four biochemical carbon containing compounds
- carbohydrates
- lipids
- proteins
- nucleic acids
what are other molecules found within living organisms
- oxygen
- hydrogen
- nitrogen
- phosphorous
subcomponent of carbohydrates
monosaccharides and disaccharide and polysaccharide
subcomponent of lipids
glycerol, fatty acids and phosphate groups
subcomponent of proteins
amino acids (which form polypeptides)
nucleic acids
nucleotides
why is life based on carbon
- organic compound (carbon containing)
- core atom of complicated structures
- can form four covalent bonds allow a diversity of stable compounds to exist
- not very reactive
- very small
what is metabolism
- (CHEMICAL REACTIONS) the web of all the enzyme-catalyzed reaction in a cell or organism
what is anabolism
- (SYNTHESIS) the synthesis of complex molecules from simpler molecules including the formation of macromolecules form monomers by condensation reactions
- small to big
what is catabolism
- (BREAKDOWN) breakdown of complex molecules into simpler molecules including the hydrolysis if macromolecules into monomers
- big to small
what is Urea
- produced in the body as a nitrogenous waste product (produced in liver, filtered by kidney, becomes a part of urine)
- ## Urea is an example of a compound that is produced by living organisms but can also be artificially synthesized
when two molecules collide, what factors determine whether the reaction has taken place or not
- identity of the colliding molecules
- orientation of the colliding molecules
- the speed of the colliding molecules
why do cell use enzymes
to increase the likelihood that a collision will lead to a useful reaction
