Topic 1: Biological Molecules Flashcards
Packs 1, most of 4 and some of 5
What does common biochemistry indicate about evolution? Why?
- Shows a common ancestry between living organisms
- All organisms derived from a common beginning
What is a polymer?
A long chain of monomers joined together
What is a monomer?
Small units from which large molecules (polymers) form
Starch is a polymer, what is it’s monomer?
Alpha Glucose
Glycogen is s polymer, what is it’s monomer?
Alpha Glucose
Cellulose is a polymer, what is it’s monomer?
Beta Glucose
Protein is a polymer, what is it’s monomer?
Amino Acids
What are the monomers of polysaccharides?
Monosaccharides; Glucose, Fructose and Galactose
What is covalent bonding?
Where atoms share electrons
What is ionic bonding?
- Atoms with opposite charges are attracted to each other
- Weaker than covalent bonds
What is Hydrogen bonding?
- Electrons are unevenly distributed causing slight differences in charges, a polar molecule
- Individually weak, collectively strong
What is the name of a reaction where a water molecule is released?
A condensation reaction
What is the name of a reaction where a water molecule is added?
Hydrolysis
What is the molecular formula of Glucose?
C6 H12 O6
What is the general molecular formula for a monosaccharide?
Cn H2n On
What is the difference between alpha and beta glucose?
- The hydrogen and hydroxide arms on the right hand side are the other way round.
- a glucose has hydrogen at top and hydroxide on bottom at both ends.
What is an isomer? Can you name an example?
- The same molecule but in a different arrangement/structure giving it different properties
- eg Alpha/Beta glucose
What is the food test for reducing sugars? How do you do it?
- Use benedict’s test (benedict’s reagent is blue)
- Add 1cm^3 of solution to test tube, heat
- Colour change from blue-red, depends on Concentration.
What is making a range of dilutions called?
A serial dilution
What type of reaction is it when two monosacchrides join together?
A condensation reaction
Maltose is a disacchride, what are it’s monosacchrides?
2 alpha glucose
Sucrose is a disacchride, what are it’s monosacchrides?
Alpha glucose and fructose
Lactose is a disacchride, what are it’s monosacchrides?
Alpha glucose and galactose
Name 3 disacchrides
- Maltose
- Lactose
- Sucrose
What type of bond is formed when two monosacchrides join to make a disacchride?
A glycosidic bond
What is the main use of disacchrides in living organisms?
In respiration (called respiratory molecules)
What is the role of Glycogen?
Energy storage in animals, specifically liver/muscles
What is the role of Starch?
Energy storage in plants (seeds)
What is the role of Cellulose?
Gives strength to plant cell walls
Starch is insoluble. Why is this important?
- A storage molecule, being insoluble prevents excess water entering cells
- No osmotic effect or effect on water potential
Why is it important for starch to have a compact structure?
It can fit a lot into a small space
What property of starch makes it suitable for enzymes to work on?
It has multiple branches from chains (carbon 1-6 glycosidic bonds
What is the test for presence of starch?
- Use iodine in potassium iodide
- Colour change from red->blue->Black
What is the structural difference between Starch and glycogen?
Glycogen has more 1-6 branches
What must happen to beta glucose in order to create cellulose?
The individual beta glucose molecules need to be flipped round between every one. (flip-flop)
How to some herbivores (eg cows) manage to digest cellulose?
- Cows have 4 stomachs
- 1 stomach contains a bacteria which produces celluase to digest the cellulose
Name 5 Key features of Cellulose structure
- B glucose linked by glycosidic bond 1:4 (flip/flop)
- Hydrogen bonds form cross links + microfibrils
- Provides strength to cells
- Resists turgor/osmotic pressure
- 1:4 bonds are difficult to break, resisting digestion
What are the 2 groups of lipids?
Triglyerides and phosopolipids
How are triglycerides formed?
The condensation reaction of one molecule of glycerol and three molecules of fatty acid
What is the general formula for a fatty acid?
HOOC - [CH2}n - CH3
What is the bond between a fatty acid and a glycerol called?
A ester bond
What is the functional group (at end of repeating hydrocarbon units) on a fatty acid called?
The carboxyl group
How does a saturated fat differ from an unsaturated fat?
Saturated fats have no double C=C bonds, unsaturated fats do
What is fat used for in biological organisms?
- Water proofing (waxy cuticle)
- Insulation
- Protection
What is the difference between a phospholipid and a triglyceride?
Phospholipids have a phosphate group instead of one of the 3 fatty acids in triglycerides
What cellular structure contains phospholipids?
Cell membranes
Which part of a phospholipid molecule is hydrophilic?
The phosphate group (head)
Which part of a phospholipid molecule is hydrophobic?
The fatty acid tails
True or false: Phospholipids are polar molecules.
True
What does hydrophilic mean?
Attracted to water
How would you test for NON-reducing sugars?
- Non reducing sugars are disacchrides
- Add dilute HCl, boil
- Neutralise with Sodium hydroxide
- Use benedicts test
What are the two polysacchrides of starch?
- Amylose; Unbrached chain of a glucose, coiled, good for storage
- Amylopectin; Branched, allowing for enzymes to break it down and release stored glucose for energy
Are triglycerides soluable in water?
No. They are insoluble because the tails are hydrophobic
Why are unsaturated fatty acids better insulation for organisms in cold climates?
The C=C double bond causes a kink in the fatty acid chain, irregular shape interrupts conduction
Why are triglycerides good storage molecules?
- Long hydrocarbon tails stores chemical energy
- Insoluble, causing no effect on water potential, so the cell is unaffected by osmotic effect
- Low mass
- Source of water (through hydrolysis)
How do you test for lipids?
- Use emulsion test
- Add alcohol, shake
- Add to water
- Milky emulsion/layer will form
What is the term used to describe all chemical processes that take place in living organisms?
Metabolism
What is a solvent?
A substance which dissolves a solute resulting in a solution.
What does a ‘high heat capacity’ mean? (with water)
- A large increase in temperature will result in a small rise in water temperature
- Water is good at maintaining a persistent temperature despite large fluctuations in the environment
- Buffers temperature changes within living organisms
What property of ice is beneficial to aquatic organisms?
When water freezes it becomes less dense, so it forms on the surface of ponds. Other liquids would build up at the bottom. Insulates from the cold.
What does cohesion mean?
How water molecules stick together
What is surface tension?
The connection (cohesion) of water molecules on the surface because they are more attracted to each other than the air.
Where do inorganic ions occur (biologically speaking)?
In the cytoplasm and body fluids of organisms
What does pH determine?
- The potential for hydrogen
- High concentration of hydrogen ions = low pH
- Low concentration of hydrogen ions = high pH
How many iron ions does one molecule of haemoglobin contain?
4
What inorganic ion associates itself with haemoglobin?
Iron ions (Fe2+)
How many O2 molecules can join onto a molecule of haemoglobin (with iron)
8
What is co-transport
- 2 substances simultaneously transported across a membrane by a protein, a symport
- Na/K pump helps for sodium and glucose to be co transported in epithelial cells of intestines
What is important about water cohesion for plants?
Water is cohesive, allowing it to flow up xylem in transpiration
What is ATP?
- Adenosine triphosphate
- A nucleotide base adenine, a ribose sugar and three phosphate groups
- An energy source for cells, made from glucose
How does ATP become ADP?
When one of the phosphate ions is hydrolysed, releasing a phosphate ion (Pi)
What are the monomers of proteins?
Amino Acids
Which 4 elements are always present in proteins?
Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen + Oxygen
What is the Amine group of proteins?
NH2 on the left hand side
What is the Carboxyl group of proteins?
COOH on right hand side
What is the Variable group of proteins?
‘R’ group on the top (20 different types)
What is the primary structure of proteins?
The number and sequence of amino acids joined by peptides bonds.
What bond joins two amino acids? How is it formed?
A peptide bond formed by condensation reactions and broken by hydrolysis
What causes chains of amino acids to fold?
+ve and -ve charges of the R groups attract to opposite charges.
What are extra features of some R groups?
- Positive and negative charges
- Second carboxyl and anime groups
- Disuphide bond
- Hydrophobic/phillic
How can some properties of R groups of amino acids help separate them out?
- Chromatography can separate amino acids by size and polarity whist suspended within an organic solvent