Midterm 1 (Chapters 1-4) Flashcards
(90 cards)
Cell theory
- All living things are composed of cells,
- All cells come from pre-existing cells,
- Cells are the structural unit of life
Model organisms
relatively simple, fast generation time, large number of offspring, easy to manipulate in lab, inexpensive to breed. E. coli, yeast, nematodes, mustard plant, zebra fish, mouse, fruit fly
Size
viruses are smaller than cells, proteins are smaller than viruses
Covalent bonds
pairs of electrons are shared between pairs of atoms. Strong bonds are not super useful in proteins since it takes a lot of energy to break
Nonpolar covalent bonds
equal sharing of electrons
Polar covalent bonds
unequal sharing of electrons
Ionic bonds
electrostatic attraction between two oppositely charged ions
Hydrogen bonding
weak attractive interaction between an electronegative atom and a hydrogen atom that is covalently linked to a second electronegative atom
Electronegativity
an indication of an atom’s ability to attract an electron (they are electron deficient). The more electronegative, the greater the ability of an atom to attract an electron.
Properties of water as a solvent
molecules that contain polar bonds and that can form hydrogen bonds with water dissolve readily in water
Hydrophobic effect
nonpolar molecules and nonpolar portions of molecules tend to aggregate in water. Nonpolar molecules are forced into aggregates to reduce exposure to water.
Functional groups
often behave as a unit and give organic molecules their physical properties, chemical reactivity, and solubility in aqueous solution.
Amphipathic
a molecule or protein having both hydrophobic and hydrophilic components
Macromolecules
large, highly organized molecules that form the structure and carry out the activities of the cell. 4 major categories: proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, lipids
Building blocks of the cell -> larger units of the cell
Sugars -> polysaccharides.
Fatty acids -> fats, lipids, membranes.
Amino acids -> proteins.
Nucleotides -> nucleic acids
Glucose
forms a ring structure in our bodies. Double bonded O is found at C1, with CH2OH group at C6.
Anomeric carbon
carbon derived from the carbonyl carbon (the ketone or aldehyde group) of the open chain form of the carbohydrate molecule. Numbered as C1. can open and mutarotate in solution. When the anomeric carbon of a monosaccharide participates in a glycosidic bond it can no longer mutarotate and is in a fixed position
Identifying anomeric carbon
draw a line through the plane. If the OH group is above the plane it is in the beta position. Below the plane, it is alpha position.
Glycosidic bonds
monosaccharides that are linked together by covalent bonds. Formed between two OH groups on two separate monosaccharides, or a monosaccharide and another molecule. Always involve the hydroxyl of an anomeric carbon. Always generates a beta glycosidic linkage when it happens in the cell.
Disaccharide
2 monosaccharides linked by a glycosidic bond
N-glycosidic bond
when an anomeric carbon reacts with a nitrogen, always beta
O-glycosidic bond
when an anomeric carbon reacts with a hydroxyl - can be alpha or beta
Polysaccharides
polymers of sugars joined by glycosidic bonds.
Amylose
linear polymer, with alpha(1 -> 4) links between glucose monomers