Topic 2 Biochemistry Flashcards
Describe how glycerol reacts with fatty acids to produce a triglyceride
Condensation reaction where an ester bond is formed and water is released
Describe how a triglyceride is broken down to release glycerol and fatty acids
Hydrolysis reaction where water is added to a triglyceride to break ester bonds.
Give the structural differences between a saturated and unsaturated triglyceride
A saturated triglyceride has no C=C double bonds, whereas an unsaturated triglyceride will have at least one C=C double bond
Explain how the structural differences between a saturated and unsaturated triglyceride affects its physical properties
Unsaturated triglycerides have a kink in their fatty acid chains, which means they cannot be densely packed which makes them a liquid at room temperature in the form of oils.
Saturated triglycerides have no kinks in their fatty acid chains which means they can be densely packed together, so they are a solid at room temp.
Describe an HDL
Less cholesterol more protein, made from unsaturated fats. smaller.
Describe an LDL
Formed from saturated lipids, Less protein and more cholesterol
Explain how HDLs reduce the risk of CVD
Takes cholesterol to liver where it is broken down
Blood cholesterol is lowered
Fatty plaques of atherosclerosis are removed which would normally cause disease
Explain how LDLs increase the risk of CVDs
Bind to cell receptors
Excess LDLs overload receptors and reduces receptor activity, leading to high blood cholesterol levels which increase plaque buildup and CVD risk
Define monosaccharide
Simple sugar that contains one or more hydroxyl group per molecule
Define disaccharide
Any sugar whose molecules contain two monosaccharides
Define Polysaccharide
A Carbohydrate whose molecules consist of multiple monosaccharides bonded together
Explain how the structure of starch makes it a suitable storage molecule
Amylose:
- Only has C 1-4 bonds which means it is a straight chain polysaccharide, so it can be packed tightly together to create a very sugar-dense storage
Amylopectin:
- Has C 1-4 bonds and branching C 1-6 bonds which means it has many terminal glucoses.
- Many terminal glucoses means it can be quickly broken down into glucose if energy is needed for respiration
Both:
- Insoluble so doesn’t disrupt osmotic balance
Explain how the structure of Glycogen makes it a suitable storage molecule
- Insoluble in water so doesnt disrupt osmotic balance,
- C 1-4 Bonds and C 1-6 bonds which means it has many branches of glucose chains.
- Many branches means many terminal glucoses, which means the polysaccharide can be quickly broken down into many glucose monosaccharides
Explain how monosaccharides react together to form disaccharides
A condensation reaction joins two monosaccharides via alpha or beta glycosidic bonds, releasing water in the process.
How do monosaccharides react together to form amylose
The 1 Carbon on one glucose molecule is joined to the 4 Carbon on the next glucose molecule to form an Alpha 1-4 bond via a condensation reaction. This process is repeated many times to form a giant chain molecule.
