Section 1: biological molecules Flashcards
What is a monomer
Monomers are the smaller repeating units from which larger molecules (polymers) are made
Give the number of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms in a molecule of raffinose
carbon = 18
hydrogen = 32
oxygen = 16
Describe a biochemical test to show that raffinose solution contains a non-reducing sugar
1) heat the raffinose solution with an acid and neutralise
2) heat with benedicts solution
3) a red precipitate should form
what substances can dissolve in water
ATP, globular proteins, ions
What is one similarity between lactulose and lactose
both have glycosidic bonds
Suggest why lactulose can help people suffering from constipation
Lactulose lowers the water potential of faeces. This means that water is retained and enters the faeces by osmosis so the faeces soften.
How are polymers formed
from monomers by the process of polymerisation
What are condensation reactions
reactions that joins monomers and involves the elimination of a water molecule
formation of a chemical bond
What are reactions called that are broken down through the addition of water
hydrolysis
What is starch
starch is a polysaccharide that is found in plants. It is made of chains of alpha glucose monosaccharides link by glycosidic bonds (1,4,6) . Starch is insoluble so doesnt affect water potential or diffuse out of cells as it is a large molecule
What is glycogen
glycogen is found in animals and bacteria. It is similar to starch but has smaller chains and is more highly branched. In animals it is found in the muscles and liver. Glycogen is insoluble and compact and can be broken down to form glucose used in respiration
What is cellulose
Cellulose is made of monomers of beta glucose. It has long straight unbranched chains that run parallel to one another thus allowing hydrogen bonds to form cross linkages. Cellulose molecules are grouped together to form microfibrils. Cellulose exerts inward pressure to stop the influx of water (it is insoluble)
What are triglycerides
three fatty acids combined with glycerol. Each fatty acid forms an ester bond with glycerol in a condensation reaction. Variation comes from the different fats and oils as glycerol molecules are the same. They are large, non-polar molecules
What are phospholipids
two fatty acids, one phosphate molecule and glycerol. Phospholipids has a hydrophillic (attracts water) head and hydrophobic tail as fatty acids repel water. They form a bilayer along cell membranes
What are proteins
amino acids are monomers from which proteins are made. Amino acids are joined by peptide bonds in a condensation reaction. There is a primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure to proteins. Proteins can either be globular or fibrous (long)
What is DNA
DNA is a polymer of nucleotides. Deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid are polymers of nucleotides. Nucleotides consist of pentose, a nitrogen organic base and a phosphate group. They join together by phosphodiester bonds
What are the 4 organic bases of DNA
thymine, adenine, cytosine, guanine
How are disaccharides formed
by the condensation of 2 monosaccharides
What is sucrose
disaccharide of one glucose and one fructose molecule
What is maltose
disaccharide of two glucose molecules
what is lactose
disaccharide of a glucose and galactose molecule
What forms a glycosidic bond
a condensation reaction between two monosaccharides of carbohydrates
what is a 1-4 linkage
a glycosidic bond that has a covalent bond between the -OH group on carbon 1 on one sugar and -OH on a carbon 4 of the other
What is a 1-2 linkage
1 carbon of glucose connected to 2 carbon of fructose
Define covalent bonding
when atoms share a pair of electrons in their outer shell. As a result 2 stable compounds are formed
Define ionic bonding
ions with opposite charges attract one another with electrostatic forces of attraction. Ionic bonds are weaker than covalent bonding
Define hydrogen bonding
the electrons within a molecule are not evenly distributed but tend to spend more time at one position (more negatively charged). A molecule with an uneven distribution of charge is said to be polarised. The negative region and the positively charged region attract forming a weak electrostatic bond
What are the monomers of a polymer usually based on
carbon
Name 2 polymers that are industrially produced
polythene and polyesters
Name 3 natural polymers
polysaccharides, polynucleotides, polypeptides
What are polysaccharides formed from
monosaccharides or a single sugar molecule
What are polynucleotides formed from
mononucleotide sub units
What are polypeptides formed from
peptides that have amino acids as their basic sub unit
nucleotides condense to form what
polynucleotides
What do polysaccharides hydrolyse to form
monosaccharides
What do fatty acids and glycerol condense to form
lipids
What do polypeptides hydrolyse to form
amino acids
Define metabolism
all the chemical processes that take place in living organisms
What does mol mean
amount of the substance (6.022x10^23)
What is a molar solution
a solution that contains one mol of solute in each litre of solution
What is 1 mol equal to
12g of carbon-12 atoms
Essentially what are carbohydrates
carbon molecules combined with water
what are carbon containing molecules known as
organic molecules
what are most polymers made of (chemical elements)
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen
what is the basic monomer unit in carbohydrates
saccharide (sugar)
what is the general formula for monosaccharides
(CH2O)n
what are monosaccharides
sweet tasting, soluble substances
what are examples of monosaccharides
glucose, galactose, frucose
describe glucose
glucose is a hexose (6-carbon) sugar but the atoms can be arranged in different ways. Glucose has two isomers; a-glucose and b-glucose
what is reduction
a chemical reaction involving the gain of electrons or hydrogen.
What is the test for a reducing sugar
benedicts test
What is the benedicts test
reducing sugar is heated with benedicts reagent to form an insoluble red precipitate of copper oxide
1)food sample dissolved in water
2)equal volume of benedicts reagent is added
3)heated in water bath and turns red
what is the bond called that is formed when monosaccharides join
glycosidic bond
a condensation reaction occurs
What can be added to a disaccharide to break the glycosidic bond
water
give an example of non-reducing sugars
disaccharides like sucrose (not maltose) so they do not change colour of benedicts reagent
How can you detect a non-reducing sugar
it must be hydrolsed into its monosaccharide
1)sample must be ground up in water or liquid
2)add benedicts reagent and filter
3)heat up solution
4) add dilute hydrochloric acid and heat again –> test with pH paper to see if alkaline as benedicts doesnt work in acidic conditions
5) add sodium hydrogencarbonate to neutralise solution
6) turn brown/orange
true or false –> polysaccharides are insoluble and why
true –> large molecules
what is a carbohydrate
an organic compound consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
What are the 5 monosaccharides of carbohydrates
glucose
galactose
fructose
ribose
dexoyribose
What is the general formula for monosaccharides
(CH2O)n
what are the 3 hexose sugars
glucose, galactose, fructose
What are the 2 pentose sugars
ribose and deoxyribose
what are isomers
e.g alpha and beta glucose –> same molecular formula but different structure
how are the OH groups arranged in alpha glucose
both OH groups are at the bottom
define a disaccharide
2 monosaccharides held by a glycosidic bond formed during a condensation reaction
what are the 3 types of carbonhydrates
monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides
what is the difference between hydrolysis and condensation
-condensation reaction forms a chemical bond by releasing water
-hydrolysis uses water to break down a chemical bond
what enzyme catalyses hydrolysis reactions of disaccharides
-carbohydrase (amylase) is the enzyme that catalyses the hydrolysis reactions of disaccharides to monosaccharides
what does the condensation of fatty acids and monoglycerides produce
lipids
what is ATP
adenosine triphosphate
provides energy
what are reducing sugars
all monosaccharides and some disaccharides like lactose and maltose
(alkaline solution capable of acting as a reducing agent)
what is an example of a non-reducing sugar
sucrose (disaccharide)
What is the test for starch
iodine
orange to blue/black
what are the two types of starch
amylopectin –> branched and useful for quick energy release
amylose –> unbranched and good for energy storage
what is glycogenolysis
glycogen is broken down to release glucose
true or false –> cellulose can be broken down by digestive enzymes
false
What occurs in a condensation reaction between 2 monosaccharides
a glycosidic bond forms between the 1st carbon on one glucose and the 4th carbon on the other
what is the difference between a pentose and hexose sugar
pentose –> only 5 carbon atoms
hexose –> 6 carbon atoms
what do the properties of a polysaccharide depend on
length
extent of branching
folded
whether chain is straight or coiled
where is starch found
in plants (chloroplasts and seeds) and tubers like potatoes
what is starch
polysaccharide of alpha glucose containing 2 isomers -> amylose and amylopectin
what type of glycosidic bonds does starch and glycogen have
1,4 and 1,6
is starch insoluble
yes starch is insoluble so doesnt affect water potential of cell
what is amylose
straight chain (coiled helical structure) 1,4 glycosidic
compact so is energy dense
unbranched
makes up 20% of starch
What is amylopectin
makes up 80% of starch
1,6 glycosidic bond and 1,4
compact and highly branched
quick energy release through breakdown by enzymes
long chains
what is glycogen
key energy store in animals
1,4 and 1,6 bonds
stored in liver and muscle cells
insoluble
highly branched and compact (coiled)
what is cellulose
-chains of beta glucose but every other beta glucose is inverted in order to create straight chains
-1,4 glycosidic bonds through condensation reaction
-hydrogen bonding of alternating branches –> positive hydrogen attracted to negative oxygen on hexose structure
-intermolecular forces of attraction
-microfibrils are strongest vertically
what are microfibrils
the chains are held together by weak hydrogen bonds between the –OH groups in neighboring cellulose chains
how many molecules does each microfibril contain
60-70 cellulose molecules wound in a helical arrangement laid down at different angles forming a composite structure
what are 2 uses of lipids
storage and insulation
what are similarities between carbohydrates and lipids
-Both formed during condensation reactions
-both contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
-both act as a energy source
What are some differences between carbohydrates and lipids
-carbohydrates contain glycosidic bonds whereas lipids contain ester bonds
-Carbohydrates form polymers including starch etc whereas lipids form macromolecules e.g triglycerides
-Carbohydrates are soluble as monomers whereas lipids are insoluble in water but soluble in alcohol/acetone
what are triglycerides
-macromolecules consisting of one glycerol molecule and three fatty acids
-elimination of 3 water molecules
-3 ester bonds formed between each fatty acid and glycerol
-Carboxyl group (COOH) = defining factor of triglyceride
-number of squigly lines represents one carbon this can change for each fatty acid. The long chains can be replaced by the letter R
-ester bond (C-O=C)
-triglycerides are non polar (hydrophobic)
-R groups can either be saturated or non saturated
what is unsaturated fatty acids
carbon carbon double bond between carbon atoms so can bond with other hydrogens (c=c)
what are saturated fatty acids
single bond between carbon atoms so cannot bond with other hydrogens (c-c)
what is the difference between a glycosidic and ester bond
glycosidic bond is between 2 hydroxyl groups whereas an ester bond is between one carboxyl and one hydroxyl group
what is a phospholipid
-macromolecule consisting of a glycerol molecule attached to a phosphate head (polar) and two fatty acids
-formed in condensation reaction
-ester bond R-C-O-C=O-H
-hydrophobic tail (repels water)
-hydrophillic phosphate head (attracts water as it is slightly charged – polar)
-R group can either be saturated or not saturated
-forms bilayer on plasma membrane
define a fatty acid
long chain of carbon/hydrogen with a carboxyl group on the end
How is a tryiglyceride molecule formed
-A triglyceride is formed through the condensation reaction of one glycerol molecule and 3 fatty acids involving the removal of 3 water molecules. This creates an ester bond between each fatty acid and glycerol.
how do you test for lipids
ethanol and distilled water, shake and milky emulsion forms
what is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids
A saturated fatty acid doesn’t contain double carbon bonds so is unable to be saturated with more hydrogens whereas an unsaturated fatty acid can
what is the general formula of a carboxyl group
COOH
what is the general formula of a fatty acid
RCOOH
What forms the cell surface membrane
a phospholipid bilayer which consists of a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail
true or false the cell surface membrane is selectively permeable
true
what surrounds the cell surface membrane
fluid
what type of molecules can and cant pass through a cell surface membrane
non polar molecules like oxygen and carbon dioxide can easily pass through diffusion
polar molecules like sugars and ions require channel proteins to move
what is cholesterol
four carbon based ring structures joined together
-small molecule that fits into lipid bilayer giving strength and stability
-used to form steroid hormones
how do phospholipids form cell surface membranes
Phospholipids have a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail which forms the bilayer of cell surface membranes. The hydrophilic head faces outwards and the hydrophobic tail is inwards. There is water present in and out of the cell.
what are the main roles of proteins
-structural role –> main component of body tissues such as muscle, skin, ligaments and hair
-catalytic role –> all enzymes are proteins catalyzing many biochemical reactions
-Signalling role –> many hormones and receptors are proteins
-immunological role –> all antibodies are proteins