Biochemistry (1.1-1.2)
Carbon
"Backbone of life "
Although it can make so many various types of bonds and create necessary compounds, carbon is the most crucial element for all living things.
All living things have some kind of carbon, and carbon is the main building block of macromolecules like proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. This leaf contains carbon in a variety of forms, including the cellulose that gives the leaf its structure and the chlorophyll that gives the leaf its green colour.
Carbohydrates are biological molecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (sugars and starches) is (CH2O
polar
monosaccharide composed of a single,carbon-based monomer structure. Simple sugars woth 3 to 7 carbon atoms. (glucose , fructose, and galactose) that are isomers (molecules having the same molecular formula but different structures)
Polysaccharides are composed of two monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic linkage. (sucrose and lactose)
•glycogen - glucose as stored by animals. This form is easily broken down due to the numerous branching side chains.
• starch - glucose as stored by plants. Starch has fewer branching chains than glycogen and is broken down less easily.
• cellulose - provides structural support in plant cell walls. Humans lack the enzymes to break down cellulose.
Purpose
Disaccharides are composed of two monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic linkage (sucrose and lactose)
Functional groups
Functional group is a cluster of atoms that always behaves in a certain way.
contains atoms such a oxygen (O), nitrogen (N) , phosphorus (P), or sulfur (S)
Publication
Water
Water is special!
Water freezes from the top down, only pure substance that expands when it becomes a solid so it floats when it freezes. Allows life to exist in cold temperatures, living aquatic organisms can survive.
2. Water has a high specific heat capacity (it takes more energy for the temperature to raise or lower 1 degree), resists temp changes. Our cells do not freeze in the cold. It remains liquid over a wide temperature range and changes temperature gradually when heated or cooled.
3. Water is a polar molecule! (adhesion, and cohesion- a great ability to stick to itself and to stick to other things)
intermolecular forces and hydrogen bonds that are crucial for biomolecules
4. Water is a universal solvent! (easily dissolves ions, gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide, small molecules)
5. Water is important for helping to transport substances into and out of cells
Triglycerides:Lipid Used for Energy Storage. Its a lipid molecules formed from one glycerol molecule bonded by ester linkages to three fatty acid molecules
Organic Molecules contain both carbon and hydrogen, and must have a carbon “backbone”.
DNA and RNA have a backbone of alternating phosphate groups and sugars. DNA is made of two
strands that are twisted into the shape of a double helix. Toward the centre of the helix are complementary
base pairs. Hydrogen bonds between the bases help hold the two strands together. Three hydrogen bonds occur between G and C base pairs, while two hydrogen bonds occur between A and T base pairs.
Since RNA exists as a single-stranded molecule, it does not occur as a double helix.
The functional group or groups on a molecule determine the properties of the molecule. Important functional groups in biological molecules include hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl, amino, sulfhydryl, and phosphate groups.
Phospholipids: components of Cell membranes
Main component of cell membranes
attached to an R group of various atoms and is polar and hydrophilic
Other lipids: Steroids and waxes
Lipids composed of four attached carbon-based rings
Waxes are lipids composed of long, carbon-based chains.
Electronegativity and Polarity
Electronegativity is how an atoms attracts the electron
The polarity of a bond relates to the electronegativity of the atoms involved
The study of the chemistry of living things, including the chemical elements and processes involved, is known as biochemistry. encompasses molecules and chemical processes as well.
Molecules
Macromolecules
Large complex molecules and composed of repeating smaller units of molecules and are covalent linked together
There are 4 Macromolecules that we need to know:
A) Carbohydrates
• Contain C, H, and O
• Function- short or long term energy storage
o MONOSACCHARIDES- 3 -7 carbons
▪ Simple sugar (glucose, fructose, galactose ISOMERS- same atoms, arranged differently in space) see page 19
▪ C6H12O6
o DISACCHARIDES
▪ 2 sugars linked together (sucrose- table sugar, maltose, lactose) Glycosidic linkages
o POLYSACCHARIDES
▪ Long chains of monosaccharides, complex carbohydrates (you need to know 3)
▪ Starch- energy storage in plants
▪ Glycogen- energy storage in animals
▪ Cellulose- component of cell walls, structural support to whole plant
Protein
macromolecules composed of amino acid monomers, linked by covalent bonds. Amino acids are organic molecules composed of a central carbon atom bonded to an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a hydrogen atom.
catalyzing chemical reactions
• providing structural support
• transporting substances
• enabling organisms to move
• regulating cellular processes (hormones)
• providing defence from disease (antibodies)
polypeptides are polymers composed of many amino acids linked by covalent bonds, including proteins.
Denaturation of proteins
Extreme hot or cold (or exposure to certain chemicals) can cause proteins to completely unfold in a process called denaturation.
Denaturation occurs when the bonding between R groups is disturbed and intermolecular bonds break, potentially affecting the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures.
Once a protein loses its normal three-dimensional shape, it can no longer perform its usual function.
Micromolecules
small molecules essential to life
WATER- waste product of cellular respiration, needed for photosynthesis, POLAR
OXYGEN- cells use to release energy from food (cellular respiration)
CARBON DIOXIDE- waste product of cellular respiration and needed for photosynthesis.
Organic Molecules contain both carbon and hydrogen, and must have a carbon “backbone”.
Intermolecular
Intermolecular forces are forces that exist between molecules.
The breaking and re-forming of bonds in DNA play an important role in how DNA functions in the cell.
Hydrophobic non-polar molecules do not form hydrogen bonds with water (water-fearing)
Tend to clump together, away from water molecules. They do not mix
Intramolecular
Intramolecular bonds are the strong bonds that hold the atoms in a given molecule together.
The forces are weaker than intramolecular forces
Two types of intermolecular reactions are hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic reactions
Hydrogen bonding is a water molecule that is polar because of its O-H bonds
Hydrophilic this exists in an aqueous environment, their polar molecules have a natural tendency to form hydrogen bonds. (Water-loving)