Biochemistry Flashcards
(26 cards)
Genetists study biological functions of __________
genes
Biochemists study biological functions of __________
proteins
Genetics
individual without component
Biochemistry
component without individual
Geometry of DNA
Antiparallel; double hellix
DNA pairs of nitrogenous bases
A - T , C - G
RNA pairs of nitrogenous bases
A - U , C - G
Four major groups of biomolecules
- Proteins
- Carbohydrates
- Lipids
- Nucleic acids
Proteins
- Enzymatic function
- Sending signals
- Building channels
- Providing cell support
ex. triosephosphate isomerase
The body is mostly composed of these elements:
Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen Nitrogen Phosphorous Sulfur
Electrons in an atom determine
how the atom interacts with others; chemical properties
Isotopes
atoms with the same number of protons but different number of neutrons
Radioactive Isotopes
unstable isotopes, which tend to decay and release radiation
Uses of isotopes in biology
Biologists can make a biomolecule have unusual isotope, or to “tag” it and keep track of it in experiments. Chemical properties are conserved, but some physical properties aren’t.
Most biological molecules are built of _____ backbones with many _____ atoms attached.
carbon, hydrogen
The prevalence of _____ in organisms means that almost all biological molecules exist in solution.
water
Determines atomic interactions
electron
Determines mass number
neutron
Determines atomic number (and is part of mass number)
proton
Covalent bonds
electron sharing among atoms
can be single, double, triple
Representations of molecules
- two-dimensional drawings
- balls and sticks (3Ds structure)
- space-filling model (show electron clouds of each atom, in covalent bonds these overlap)
Bonds (by order of strength)
Covalent bonds >
Bonds have little energy ______
fluctuations.
Possible number of bonds in CHONPS
C4, H1, O2, N3, P5, S2 (P unusual case; arranges its 5 outer shell electrons in order to get other 5 bonds)