biochemistry

4 covalent bonds

These bonds can be single bonds, double bonds, or triple bonds. Carbon can also form long chains of molecules as well as rings and other complex structures. I

lipids important jobs

They form waterproofing (waxes) act as chemical messengers (steroids), store energy (fats and oils), and form cell membranes (phospholipids).

The Macro Molecules Of Life

carbohydrates lipids nucleic acids proteins these are interactions of atoms and molecules.

saturated fatty acids

contain the maximum number of hydrogens. These molecules are 'flat' and tend to pack solidly like bricks. Thus saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature. Animal fat and butter are typical saturated fats.

transcription

is carried out by RNA polymerase, using DNA as a template to produce RNA

Monomers

(single) units of lipids are made of fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule. They usually combine in a ratio of 1 glycerol to 3 fatty acids.

add glycerol to fatty acids

and you have the ingredients for substances that are extremely useful to living things. For example, triglyceride is glyceride in which the glycerol is esterified with three fatty acids. You'll find it in stuff like vegetable oil and animal fats.

monomer units of proteins

are called amino acids, Amino acids can link together and form molecules called proteins.

Monomer (single) units of nucleic acids

are called nucleotides. One nucleotide consists of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogen base, such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and ribonucleic acid (RNA).

reactants

are called substrates and when they join together with the enzyme, an enzyme-substrate complex is formed; it is here that the substrates are converted into products and then released.

Polysaccharides

are large sugar molecules composed of many smaller units, linked together in complex arrangements. Starch and cellulose (as depicted in the 3D model below), made by plants and glycogen found in animals are types of polysaccharides.

Enzymes

most important protein types act as biological catalysts (a catalyst is a chemical that speeds up chemical reactions within the cell.) Enzymes are able to speed up the rate in which chemical reactions occur by reducing the activation energy (energy needed to start a chemical reaction). Enzymes work by providing a place for reactants to come together at a lower energy level so the products can come together faster.

proteins critical jobs in cells

Functions of proteins include: controlling the rate of chemical reactions (enzymes do this), regulating cell processes, forming structural components of certain cells, transporting substances into and out of cells, helping to fight disease.

unsaturated fatty acids

contain 1 or more double bonds. Double bonds prevent them from holding the maximum number of hydrogens. This causes the carbon chain to bend into odd shapes so that they will not pack solidly. Thus unsaturated fats are generally liquid at room temperature. Vegetable oil is usually unsaturated.

polyunsaturated fatty acids

contain more than one double bond. Lipids have a lot of important jobs in living things.

the function of nucleic acids

is to store and transmit genetic information (chemical instructions about how living things should form and operate).

macromolecules

large molecules that make up the majority of living things. Since macro molecules are generally made up of many smaller molecules and atoms, they are referred to as polymers.

proteins

macromolecules containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen; proteins are the building blocks of tissue

3 conditions that limit enzyme activity

1. Temperature: Conditions can't be too hot or too cold. Just like Goldilocks, the temperature has to be just right! 2. pH: Conditions can't be too acidic or basic. They have to be just right. Remember pH measures the Hydrogen Ion concentration in a solution (the more H+ the stronger the acid). 3. Substrate and Enzyme concentration: The amount of each that is present must be--you guessed it--just right! There has to be sufficient amounts of each for the reaction to work.

-ase suffix

Enzymes can be synthetic (they can build up) or hydrolytic (they can breakdown or digest). They are very specific for their substrates. Most end in -ase . SUBSTRATE... ENZYME ... PRODUCTS Protein... Protease...> Amino Acids Lipids... Lipase...> 3 Fatty Acids and Glycerol Maltose... Maltase...> 2 Glucose molecules

sucrose

a common disaccharide. or Saccharose

carbohydrates

Carbohydrates - macromolecules composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in a ratio of 1:2:1. Ex: glucose, C6H12O6 Carbohydrates are sugars; sugars can be simple monomers, such as glucose or fructose, or complex polymers, such as starch.

carbon's 4 electrons (in outer energy shell)

Carbon (solid), Hydrogen (gas), Oxygen (gas), and Nitrogen (gas) are among the four most common elements found in living organisms (just remember CHON). These four elements are also notable for being the least massive (and having the lowest atomic number) in their group in the periodic table.

carbon chemistry

Carbon compounds are found in all living things and are called organic compounds.

polymers

Polymers are made up of smaller units known as monomers.

starch and cellulose

Starches and glycogen are used to store energy; cellulose is the structural component of cell walls.

glycerol

a type of alcohol with a hydroxyl group on each of its three carbons, glycerol along with 3 fatty acids make a monomer of lipid.

examples of lipids

are fats, oils, waxes and steroids. Lipids are not soluble in water. The fatty acids can be saturated or unsaturated.

nucleic acids

are macro molecules containing hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon and phosphorus and are associated with organism's genetic code.

Lipids

are macromolecules composed of mostly carbon and hydrogen chains; primarily fats, waxes oils and steroids

disaccharides

are sugar molecules with only two monomers; table sugar is an example of a disaccharide. These types of sugars are generally used as a source of energy.

monosaccharides

are the monomer units of carbohydrates; they are glucose, fructose and galactose.

Norganic compounds

are those that do not contain carbon; many are also essential to life. Water, nitrate and phosphate compounds are required, but are not organic. Exceptions to the 'carbon' rule are Carbon Dioxide and Carbon monoxide. They contain carbon, but are not considered organic.