Biological Molecules Flashcards
(30 cards)
Are all molecules carbon based?
Biological molecules are carbon based except for some inorganic molecules
What roles do small molecules often play ?
As building blocks for macromolecules and as some other specific function in their own right
What is the Composition of a cell?
Water 70%
Inorganic ions 1%
Small organic molecules 3%
Macromolecules 26%
What is the general formula for sugars ?
(CH2O)n
What are some functions of carbohydrates?
Energy storage , fuel, metabolite and structural element
What are the two types of monosaccharides?
Ketone based or aldehyde based
What does it mean for a carbon atom to have a chiral centre?
The molecules can make mirror images of each other,can never superimpose so therefore are enantiomers
State the location of the ketone/aldehyde group in the D configuration of glucose
The aldehyde/ketone group will be most distant from the asymmetric c-atom
Condensation reaction
One molecule of H2O is released for every bond formed in a reaction
Why can we not break down cellulose?
Cellulose contains 1-4 beta glycosidic bonds which we cannot break down
How does glycogens structure help its function?
Glycogen is branched and therefore able to form 1-6 bonds aswell as 1-4 ,enabling more molecules of sugar to be packed together in one space.
What is an oligosaccharide ?give an example
Polysaccharide with different types of monosaccharides
Eg: blood group
What triggers the breakdown of glycogen and what does it break down into?
Tyrosine triggers the breakdown into adrenaline
How is histidine converted into histamine ?
Histidine is converted into histamine through the loss of CO2 in a vasodilator
What makes up a nucleotide ?
Sugar,phosphate and base
Why is sugar-phosphate binding important ?
Creates chains which are needed when DNA forms a double helix .
In a DNA helix,chains are going anti-parallel from 5’ end to the 3’ end
Why is Adenosine 3’,5’-cyclic monophosphate(cAMP) important?
It is essential for blood pressure regulation
What is Adenosine 5’ -monophosphate(AMP) involved in?
RNA synthesis
What produces more ATP ,fats or glucose?
Fats produce significantly more ATP than glucose on its own
Where do you find saturated fats(unhealthy) ?
Found predominantly in animal fats that we consume within our diets
Why are saturated fats considered healthy fats?
A reactive metabolite would react with the fatty acid , breaking the double bond . Providing an energy source from that , metabolite and can then be reabsorbed by the fatty acid instead of going elsewhere
Describe a triglyceride
One glycerol reacting with 3 fatty acids joined by an ester bond .releasing one molecule of water per bond
Describe a phospholipid
One glycerol , two fatty acid chains and one phosphate group and one head group
Give some functions of lipids
Phospholipid bilayer
Liposome
Micelle(fats transported throughout the body )
Bilayer sheet
