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Biological Molecules Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the four categories of organic molecule?

A

Lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates

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2
Q

Monomer

A

A single unit of a larger macromolecule
—Carbon based molecule

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3
Q

Polymer

A

The result of many monomers assembled as a group

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4
Q

Condensation/Dehydration Reaction

A

The process that links two monomers together with chemical bonds
—Occurs when two hydrogen and one oxygen atom (aka water) are removed from two monomers

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5
Q

Why is it called a “condensation” reaction?

A

Because when two monomers are linked together by a covalent bond, the result is a macromolecule plus a molecule of water

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6
Q

When water is being removed from monomers, we call it…

A

a dehydration reaction

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7
Q

Hydrolysis Reaction

A

Chemical reaction in which a water molecule is added

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8
Q

The type of chemical reaction responsible for linking monomers into polymers is known as…

A

condensation reaction

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9
Q

All polymers are linked by what type of bond?

A

Covalent

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10
Q

Type of chemical reaction responsible for breaking polymers back down into monomers..

A

hydrolysis reaction

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11
Q

Protein’s structure consists of

A

a repeating chain of amino acids

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12
Q

What are some functions of protein?

A

-Cellular Metabolism
-Transport Molecules
-Structure and Support
-Signaling Molecules
-Defense
-Movement

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13
Q

Amino acids are the monomers for…

A

protein (the polymer)

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14
Q

How many different kinds of amino acids are there?

A

Essentially 20

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15
Q

What is found in all amino acids?

A

A central carbon atom that bonds covalently to four different atoms/functional groups

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16
Q

The major difference between amino acids lies….

A

within the R-group/side chain

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17
Q

In an amino acid monomer, where is each component located?

A

Amino group on the left, carboxyl group on the right, carbon atom in the center, hydrogen atom on the top and side chain on the bottom

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18
Q

Name the components of an amino acid monomer.

A

-Central carbon atom
-Side chain
-Carboxyl group
-Hydrogen atom
-Amino group

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19
Q

R-group

A

Represents the part of the amino acid core structure that makes each of the 20 different amino acids unique

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20
Q

The properties of amino acids __ because their R-groups __

A

vary

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21
Q

What lay on the ends of an amino acid monomer?

A

N-terminus: amino group
C-terminus: carboxyl group

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22
Q

Peptide bond

A

Carbon-nitrogen covalent bond that results from the bonding between the n-terminus and the c-terminus of 2 amino acid monomers

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23
Q

Peptide vs polypeptide

A

Peptides generally have less than 50 amino acids linked together
Polypeptides generally have more than 50 amino acids linked together

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24
Q

Protein’s primary structure

A

Linear chain of amino acids

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25
What do actin and myosin do?
Allow for movement as they are major components of muscle tissue
26
What does hemoglobin do?
Transports oxygen through the blood stream
27
What type of bonds form between the monomers that make up protein?
Peptide
28
What does a protein structure resemble?
A pearl necklace
29
What does a protein secondary structure resemble?
A piece of ribbon
30
What is an alpha helix
The part of the protein secondary structure that coils
31
What is a beta pleated sheet
The part of a protein secondary structure that loops back on itself
32
What does a proteins tertiary structure resemble?
A bunched up piece of ribbon
33
The secondary structure of a protein results from
Hydrogen bonds
34
Tertiary structure is not directly dependent on
Peptide bonds
35
Quaternary structure results from
Individual proteins coming together to form multi-subunit protein complexes
36
Nucleic acids consists of what kind of monomer?
Nucleotides
37
In order for a protein to be created, what needs to occur?
A single-stranded nucleic acid copy of the code stored in the DNA needs to be created (RNA)
38
What is RNA able to do that DNA cannot?
Leave the nucleus and interact with ribosomes in the cytoplasm
39
What is the process of RNA being made from DNA, to the creation of a protein known as?
Central Dogma of Molecular Biology
40
What is RNA?
A copy of the instructions stored in DNA that can be used to create a protein
41
What is the base structure of nucleic acids?
Phosphate group attached to the fifth carbon Nitrogenous base attached to a carbon Five-carbon sugar in the center
42
The major difference between nucleotides lies in the….
Exact type of sugar and nitrogenous base in the structure
43
What sugars are in the structures of DNA and RNA?
Deoxyribose and ribose (respectfully)
44
What is the telling difference between a DNA and RNA structure?
RNA has a hydroxyl group (OH) attached to a carbon, whereas DNA only has a hydrogen attached (H)
45
What is the difference between pyrimidines and purines?
Pyrimidines contain a single-ring structure Purines are larger and have a two-ring structure
46
Which nitrogenous bases are contained by both DNA and RNA?
Cytosine, guanine, and adenine
47
Which nitrogenous bases are exclusive to either DNA or RNA?
DNA-Thymine RNA-Uracil
48
How are nucleotides linked?
Between the sugar component and phosphate group of two separate nucleotides
49
The 3’ carbon is…
Always attached to the hydroxyl group
50
When two nucleotides polymerize….
a condensation reaction occurs and water is removed
51
What is a phosphodiester bond?
The covalent bond that results from a condensation reaction between the hydrogen atom of hydroxyl groups on the 3’ carbon and phosphate of a second nucleotide
52
Sugar-phosphate backbone
Continued covalent linkage of sugars and phosphates between nucleotide monomers
53
What are the tops and bottom of DNA and RNA strands?
Top: unlinked 5’ phosphate exposed Bottom: unlinked 3’ hydroxyl
54
RNA is ____ whereas DNA is _____
single stranded; double stranded
55
What are the two strands of DNA held together by?
H-bonds
56
Hydrogen bonds in DNA only form between….
Guanine & cytosine, adenine & thymine
57
Complimentary base pairs
G-C and A-T groups
58
Antiparallel
The opposite alignment of two DNA strands
59
T or F: Nucleotides can be broken apart from a single strand of RNA by hydrolysis reactions.
True
60
Carbohydrates are polymers of
monosaccharides
61
What can carbohydrates be used for?
-Energy storage -Structure/Support -Cellular Identity
62
What is a monosaccharide?
A single, simple sugar molecule
63
Each monosaccharide consists of:
-Several hydroxyl functional groups -Multiple carbon-hydrogen bonds -A carbonyl functional group
64
Aldose monosaccharides
Have the carbonyl group attached to a terminal carbon
65
Ketose monosaccharides
Have a carbonyl group attached to an interior carbon
66
Glucose vs Galactose
Glucose’s hydroxyl group faces upwards, while galactose’s group faces downwards
67
Trioses
Three-carbon sugars
68
Pentose
Five-carbon sugar
69
Hexose
Six-carbon sugar
70
Polysaccharide
Another name for carbohydrates
71
Disaccharide
Two monomers in length
72
Glycosidic bond
Result of a condensation reaction between two monosaccharides
73
Carbohydrate chains can also take the appearance of….
A wall or branched chain
74
Which polysaccharide stores energy in animals?
Glycogen
75
Which polysaccharide is a structural component of bacterial cell walls?
Peptidoglycan
76
Which macromolecules are largely nonpolar and hydrophobic?
Lipids
77
Lipids are made up of….
A single glycerol molecule and more than one fatty acid molecule
78
What roles do lipids play in living organisms?
-Adjusting fluidity and solubility of cell membranes -Storing energy -Send chemical messages
79
Lipids are largely hydrophobic because
their structure contains a high number of hydrocarbons
80
Hydrocarbons are nonpolar because…
Electrons are shared equally in C-H bonds
81
Fatty acids consist of….
A carboxyl group and a hydrocarbon chain
82
Saturated vs unsaturated fatty acids
Saturated chains contain only single bonds Unsaturated chains contain one or more double bonds
83
Fats
Nonpolar, composed of three fatty acids that are linked by a glycerol molecule
84
Ester bond
The bond created between glycerol and a fatty acid to produce a lipid
85
Phospholipid
Consists of glycerol and two hydrocarbon chains
86
Match the polymers with their bonds: -Nucleic acids -Proteins -Lipids -Monosaccharides
-Phosphodiester -Peptide -Ester -Glycosidic
87
Protein Denaturation
The breaking down of weak bonds within a protein molecule, losing the non-primary structures
88
What do enzymes do?
Bring reactant molecules together for quicker biological chemical reactions
89
Enzymes
Act as catalysts for chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy
90
Activation energy
Amount of free energy required to reach the transition state (form new bonds)
91
Stages of enzyme action
Initiation, transition, termination
92
High temperatures and acidic pH effect enzymes because….
It destroys weak bonds and therefore the enzyme denatures
93
When enzymes are regulated; they are….
Turned off or in quickly by other molecules
94
Types of enzyme regulation
Competitive vs non-competitive inhibitors - - -
95
Competitive inhibitors
Compete with the substrate for the active site of the enzyme
96
Non-competitive inhibitors
Do not compete for the active site since they bind to another part of the enzyme
97
Allosteric Regulation
Changing of an enzymes shape due to a molecule bonding to the allosteric site
98
Cofactors
Non-protein molecules that help enzymes work
99
Coenzymes
Subset of cofactors that are organic
100
Which carbon is the carbonyl group attached to in fructose?
C2
101
How do we determine what number carbons are in a carbohydrate?
Count from end that is closest to the carbonyl group
102
What are the energy storage polysaccharides in plants and animals?
Starch and Glycogen
103
What is the difference between starch and glycogen structures?
Glycogen struture is more branched than starch structure
104
Cellulose structure consists of _____
chains of beta glucose molecules joined together by glycosidic and hydrogen bonds
105
The polysaccharide responsible for structure within fungi, insects and crustaceans
Chitin
106
The polysaccharide responsible for structure within bacteria
Peptidoglycan
107
Feedback inhibition
Enzymes work together in the metabolism of molecules within our cells
108
Feedback (negative) inhibition works to….
Stop the metabolic process once enough of a final substance has been made
109
How can you identify whether a nucleic acid is single or double stranded?
If there’s one phosphate, one nitrogenous base, and one sugar, it’s single-stranded
110
What pairing is perfect within the structure of DNA?
Purine & Pyrimidine together
111
A molecule of DNA is 20% C. What percentage of it is made up of G?
20% because they have to be equal amounts
112
A molecule of DNA is 20% C. What percentage of it is made up of T?
30%
113
Secondary RNA structure
C-G & A-U(?)
114
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
Used to store energy -Nitrogenous base attached to a sugar attached to three phosphate groups
115
Where is energy stored within an ATP?
Within the phosphate bonds
116
Breaking an ATP bond results in….
released energy

Bio 115 (9 decks)

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