2.1 - Molecules to Metabolism Flashcards
Which compound is produced naturally and artificially and how do you draw it?
- Urea
- Carbon double bonded to an O, and single bonded to 2 NH2.
Vitalism
A theory that the phenomena of life is based on something vital
Who is Friedrich Wohler
In 1828, Wohler synthesized urea artificially using silver isocyanate and ammonium chloride.
Explain Carbon Atoms
Carbon can form four covalent bonds allowing a diversity of stable compounds to exist.
Atoms want a full outer shell of electrons
Accomplished by : losing or gaining electrons sharing electrons
What are the four main classes of carbon compounds?
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleic Acids
Carbohydrates
Composed of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen.
Hydrogen and oxygen are usually found in a ratio of 2:1
Soluble
Lipids
Insoluble in water (ex. steroids,
waxes, fatty acids and triglycerides.)
Extra Note: Triglycerides are fats if they are solid at room temp and oils if they are liquid at room temp
Proteins
Composed of amino acids
Contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen.
Two of 20 amino acids contain Sulphur
Nucleic Acids
DNA & RNA
They are chains of subunits called nucleotides
Contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus.
There are two types of nucleic acid: ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
Draw Glucose (C6H12O6)
Six-membered ring with one side chain
Ring contains 5 carbon atoms and 1 oxygen atom
1 carbon atom forms side chains
Carbon atoms are numbered
Hydroxyl groups (-OH) on carbon atoms 1, 2, and 4 points down, and up on carbon 3
Draw Ribose (C5H10O5)
Ring is composed of 4 carbon atoms and 1 oxygen atom
Side chain is formed from 1 carbon atom
Carbons can be numbered
The hydroxyl group (-OH) on carbon 1 points up. The hydroxyl groups on carbons 2 & 3 points down.
Draw a Saturated Fatty Acid
Carbon atoms form the unbranched chains
Single bonds in saturated fatty acids
Number of carbon atoms is between 14 and 20
At one end is a carboxyl group
At the other end is a carbon atom bonded to three hydrogens
Other carbon atoms are bonded to 2 hydrogen atoms
Draw Amino Acids (general)
Carbon atom bonds to 4 different things:
amine group
carboxyl group
a hydrogen atom
the R group, which is the variable part of the amino acids
How do you identify a carbohydrate, lipid or amino acid?
Proteins contain C, H, O and N whereas carbohydrates and lipids contain C, H and O but not N.
Many proteins contain Sulphur (S) but carbohydrates and lipids do not.
Carbohydrates contain hydrogen and oxygen atoms in a ratio of 2:1, for example glucose is C6H12O6 and sucrose (the sugar commonly used in baking) is C12H22O11
Lipids contain relatively less oxygen than carbohydrates, for example oleic acid (an unsaturated fatty acid) is C18H34O2 and the steroid testosterone is C19H28O2
Lipids can also include triglyceride, phospholipid, steroid, etc.
What is Metabolism?
Metabolism is the web of all the enzyme-catalyzed reactions in a cell or organism
All living organisms perform many different chemical reactions
Catalyzed by enzymes
Most of them happen in the cytoplasm of cells but some are extracellular, such as the reactions used to digest food in the small intestine.
One type of molecule is changed into another in a series of small steps
Can occur as a chain of reactions or as a cycle
Divided into 2 parts: Anabolism and Catabolism
