Unit 1.1 Biological compounds Flashcards
H2O, tell me about it’s charge?
Oxygen has small negative charge = 𝛿- (symbol called delta)
Hydrogen has small positive charge = 𝛿+
Due to H2O uneven distribution of charge, what is it?
A dipole
What are the bonds between oxygen and hydrogen in H2O called?
Covalent bond
What does it mean if it’s polar?
It’s hydrophilic
What does it mean if it’s non-polar?
It’s hydrophobic
What causes water molecules to stick together?
- Due to 𝛿+ & 𝛿-.
- Thus their attraction is called a hydrogen bond
- O from one H2O slight attracted to H from another H2O
How is water a metabolite?
Used in reactions such as:
Condensation - the forming of chemical bonds
Hydrolysis - the breaking of chemical bonds
What are all biochemical reactions in your bodies called?
Metabolism
Tell me about disulphide bonds?
- It appears s-s makes the whole chemical bond wavey or summin?
- Therefore removing them makes them straight as a line
- Also are strong covalent bonds formed by oxidation
Before getting started to all the nitty gritty load of information and content of this whole booklet, what’s the insight?
- Biological molecules
- Classed by main organic molecules which are:
1. Carbohydrates
2. Lipids
3. Proteins - In addition there are inorganic compounds near the ends of this so, yeah. Try link everything from the beginning, cuz that’s how everything flows in.
Explain the roles of glucose?
- Used as respiratory substrate
GO -> CWE?? - Used as building blocks for large molecules
e.g. Disaccharides
e.g. Sucrose
Glucose + Fructose
e.g. Polysaccharides
e.g. Starch, glycogen and cellulose
Glucose
Give me info of the 2 types of glucose
- Isomers of glucose
- Hexagon with C as base but first is actually O
- On 2nd C, OH at bottom, then should know rest
- 5th C, CH2OH
α - glucose (alpha)
On the right side of it: H up, OH down
β - glucose (beta)
On the right side of it: OH up, H down
How is glucose being small and soluble an advantage?
They can be easily carried around organisms and can move across cell membranes respectively
Tell me about the others types of monomers?
Fructose = C6H12O6
- Pentagon shaped
- O is first then u got C’s next, clockwise ofc
- Don’t think about α-glucose for the positions, just opposite ONLY AFTER C-2, however…
- … CH2OH is on top of C-2 & C-5 on the top (put on reverse for C-5)
Galactose = C6H12O6 still
- Hexagon shaped
- Think about α-glucose for the positions of such
- The only difference is the left side is the exact opposite on the right (HO up, H down)
Quite obscure but if u know u know
Tell me about the Main Organic Molecules
- Carbohydrates -> Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen
- Proteins -> CHO, Nitrogen
- Lipids -> Also like carbohydrates (CHO)
Last 2 = macromolecules
Tell me the 3 main categories of carbohydrates
Or ig they are monomer (only monosaccharides, perhaps polysaccharides are polymers?)
(huge)
Name:
1. Monosaccharide
2. Disaccharide
3. Polysaccharide
Meaning:
1. Single sugar
2. Double sugar
3. Multiple sugars
Examples:
1. Glucose
Fructose
Galactose
2. Maltose
Sucrose
Lactose
3. Starch
Glycogen
Cellulose
Chitin
Sub-Units:
1. N/A
2. Glucose + Glucose
Glucose + Fructose
Glucose + Galactose
3. Glucose for starch, glycogen & cellulose
Glucosamine for chitin
Found:
1. Widespread
Fruit
Milk
2. Germinating seeds
Fruit/Phloem
Milk
3. Plant storage - starch
Animal storage - glycogen
Plant cell wall - cellulose
Exoskeleton of insects - chitin
Properties:
1. & 2.
Sweet, white and soluble
3.
Not sweet, Not soluble
Tell me about the monosaccharides
C-Atoms:
- 3
- 5
- 6
Name:
1. Triose
2. Pentose
3. Hexose/Glucose
Molecular Formula:
1. C3H6O3
2. C5H10O5
3. C6H12O6
Notes:
1. Used in photosynthesis and respiration
2. Present in DNA and RNA
3. Respirations substrate (energy sources)
Tell me about disaccharides
General formula:
Monosaccharide + Monosaccharide –> Disaccharide + water
Example:
α - glucose + α - glucose –> Maltose + water
Visualize these glucoses (u should know how to draw them), then think about how they get together from each side (H-OH + H-OH) thus condensation reaction happens. And they are connected via H2O bond. Makes sense how H2O is produced.
- Above called a 1,4 glycosidic bond as carbon-1 and carbon-4 used in process of condensation
- All reactions are controlled by enzymes
If u happen to see this, go and draw the isomers of glucose and the other 2 monomers (fructose & galactose)
Sure
Tell me about polysaccharides
- Made from joining many monosaccharides in a polymerisation reaction, done by condensation.
So think about drawing disaccharides but it keeps going - They are storage compounds (starch and glycogen), are compact, inert and insoluble, and can be readily hydrolysed back to glucose quickly when needed for respiration
- Osmotically inactive
Tell me about glycogen
(polysaccharides)
- Found in animal cells storage
- Similar to amylopectin, made up of α - glucose molecules with 1,4 glycosidic bonds and branches where 1,6 glycosidic bonds are formed
- Glycogen even more branched than amylopectin
- Branches make it difficult to coil into a helix, so it has a more brush-like structure
Advantage of being shorter and so branched:
- Shorter: more compact for energy storage
- More branched: easily releases more readily hydrolysed glucose as more ends are available
- Glycogen molecules clump together to form granules in the muscle cells and the liver
- Glycogen can be easily broken down by an enzyme called glycogen phosphorylase
- Which is activated by hormone called glucagon when blood/glucose levels are low
What’s the advantage of a polysaccharide being shorter and so branched?
- Shorter: more compact for energy storage
- More branched: easily releases more readily hydrolysed glucose as more ends are available
List 3 ways in which the molecular structures of glycogen and amylose are similar?
- Both are polysaccharides
- Both are made of α-glucose
- Both have 1,4 glycosidic bonds
Tell me about starch (polysaccharides)
(Amylose)
- Not found in animal cell storage
- Found in chloroplasts in plant cells
- Consists of 2 components: amylose & amylopectin
- Amylose - made by many condensation reactions between α-glucose molecules with 1,4 glycosidic bonds
- Forms a long, unbranched chain that then coils up
- … because the chain is more compact, and easier to store
In terms of visualization:
- S’pose it’s easier to think that it’s wayyyy coiled up compared to glycogen
- I’m not too sure about how to visualize this but at least know the bonds between are hydrogen bonds for stability - well ofc, cuz it’s coiled up right? It’s gotta somehow be able to retain that coil or summin
- Amylose diagram = straight chain
