Building the Molecules of Life Flashcards
(16 cards)
Monosaccharides
Bind together in condensation reactions to form glycosidic linkages
Disaccharides
Two monosaccharides linked by covalent bonds
Oligosaccharides
Often covalently bonded to proteins and lipids on cell surfaces and act as recognition signals
Polysaccharides
Giant polymers of monosaccharides (e.g. starch, glycogen, cellulose)
Lipids
Non-polar hydrocarbons, when close van Der waals forces hold them together, not polymers as they are not covalently banded
Fatty acids are ampipathic, meaning…
They have opposing chemical properties
Saturated fatty aids
No double bonds
Unsaturated fatty acids
Some double bonds (can be monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated)
ATP
Captures and transfers free energy, releases energy when hydrolysed, can phosphorylase other maleasles
Glucose is a…
Fuel (molecule whose stored energy can be released for use)
Metabolic pathway principles
Complex chemical transformations occur in a series of reactions, each reaction is catalysed by a specific enzyme, metabolic pathways are similar in all organisms, eukaryotic metabolic pathways are compartmentalised, each pathway is regulated by key enzymes
3 pathways for harvesting energy of glucose
Glycolysis, cellular respiration, fermentation
3 pathways of cellular respiration with O2
Pyruvate oxidation, citric acid cycle, electron transport chain
In glucose combustion…
Glucose is the reducing agent, oxygen is the oxidising agent
NAD+ is…
Oxidised
NADH is…
Reduced
