topic 01 fundamental concepts

Question 1

what are the major biomolecules?

Answer 1

amino acids

carbohydrates

nucleotides

lipids

Question 2

what are the major biological polymers? list what they’re made up of.

Answer 2

proteins: amino acids

nucleic acids: nucleotides

polysaccharides: carbohydrates (monosaccharides)

Question 3

which biomolecule can not form polymers? what do they do instead?

Answer 3

because it is not a monomer. lipids are too large to be a repeating unit in a polymer.

instead, they self-associate to form membranes etc.

Question 4

describe the composition of an amino acid

Answer 4

contains an amine (NH2) and a carboxylic acid (COOH) which are ionized to NH3+ and COO- … and have a side chain

Question 5

describe the composition of a carbohydrate

Answer 5

(CH2O)n

one or more hydroxyls may be replaced by other groups

Question 6

describe the composition of a nucleotide

Answer 6

5 carbon sugar, nitrogen containing ring, and one or more phosphate groups.

the nitrogenous bases could be: A, C, G, T, U

Question 7

describe the composition of a lipid

Answer 7

a bunch of hydrocarbons (CH2)! causing it to be poorly insoluble in water

Question 8

define residue

Answer 8

monomers in polymers (for amino acids, nucleotides, carbohydrates)

Question 9

which of the biological polymers are genetically encoded?

Answer 9

proteins and nucleic acids

Question 10

what are the bonds in proteins called?

Answer 10

peptide bonds (amide bonds)

Question 11

what does the conformation of a polypeptide depend on?

Answer 11

amino acid composition and sequence

Question 12

what are the bonds in nucleic acids called?

Answer 12

phosphodiester bonds

Question 13

what are the bonds in carbohydrates called?

Answer 13

glycosidic bonds <- building blocks for cellulose

Question 14

how does the composition/sequence of polysaccharides differ from the other biopolymers?

Answer 14

most polysaccharides are homogenous. contain 1 or a few of the same type of monosaccharide residue

Question 15

which of the biopolymers can encode information?

Answer 15

nucleic acids & polysaccharides

Question 16

which of the biopolymers can carry out metabolic reactions?

Answer 16

proteins & nucleic acids

Question 17

which of the biopolymers can store energy?

Answer 17

proteins & polysaccharides

Question 18

which of the biopolymers can support cellular structures?

Answer 18

ALL! proteins & nucleic acids & polysaccharides

Question 19

what is the equation for free energy?

Answer 19

G = H - TS

Question 20

define entropy and enthalpy

Answer 20

entropy: level of disorder
enthalpy: heat

Question 21

how is genetic information encoded in genes?

Answer 21

nucleic acid sequence

Question 22

differentiate between vitro and vivo

Answer 22

vitro: observing in a glass
vivo: observing in an organism

Question 23

when is a reaction spontaneous? non spontaneous?

Answer 23

spontaneous when exergonic — G < 0

non spontaneous when endergonic — G > 0

Question 24

why can G values be added?

Answer 24

because only the initial and final state matter

Question 25

if the G of an organism = 0, what happens?

Answer 25

organism dead lmao

Question 26

describe the process of photosynthesis in regards to oxidation & reduction and synthesis & breakdown. which of the the processes are thermodynamically favoured? what does this mean?

Answer 26

in the synthesis of monosaccharides from CO2, carbon is reduced (gains electrons from the addition of H or removal of O2). this part is with the help of the sun’s energy.

in the breakdown of monosaccharides, carbon is oxidized (loses electrons) and becomes CO2.

the breakdown is more favoured. therefore, it can be coupled with energy requiring processes.

Question 27

describe the central dogma of molecular biology

Answer 27

transcription: gene of DNA transcribed to a complimentary strand of messengerRNA with the help of RNA polymerase

translation: RNA translated into a polypeptide chain with the help of transferRNA which carries amino acids and recognizes codons

Question 28

define genetic code

Answer 28

correspondence between messengerRNA and transferRNA and amino acids

Question 29

what are the codons that stop translation?

Answer 29

UAA, UAG, UGA