Chapter 1 - Principles of Biochemistry

Biochemistry

study that aims to explain biological processes at the molecular and cellular level

amino acids, carbohydrates, nucleotides, lipids

What are the 4 classes of biomolecules?

amino acids

Biomolecules who primary function is:

• protein function

• neurotransmission

• nitrogen metabolism

• energy conversion

nucleotides

Biomolecule whose primary function is…

• nucleic acid function

• energy conversion

• signal transduction

• enzyme catalysis

carbohydrates

Biomolecule whose primary cell function is…

• energy conservation

• cell-wall structure

• cell recognition

• nucleotide structure

  Also called “simple sugars”

Fatty Acids

Biomolecule whose primary cell function is…

• cell membranes

• energy conversion

• cell signaling

• energy storage

amino acids

Nitrogen-containing molecules that function primarily as the building blocks of a protein

ppolypeptides

amino acids are covalently linked to form _________

nucleotides

This biomolecule includes nucleic acids, DNA, and RNA.

nitrogenous base, 5-membered sugar, and phosphate group

What are the three components of a nuclelotide

amphipathic

Fatty acids are ___________ molecules that act as storage for energy and plasma mebrane lipids

Nucleic acids

What is the polymer of nucleotides?

phosphodiester

Nucleic acids are linked together by ____________ bonds

proteins (polypeptides)

what is the polymer of amino acids?

polysaccharides

what is the polymer of carbohydrates?

glycosidic bond

what kind of bond is apparent in polysaccharides?

polysaccharides

polymer that consists of mixtures of simple sugars of repeating units of glucose

proteins

Polymer that is…

• most structurally variable

• mediates chemical rxns and provides structural support

nucleic acids

Polymer that is…

• carrier of genetic information contained in sequence, not 3D shape

Polymer that serves as fuel storage molecules and structural support

glycolysis, citrate cycle, fatty acid oxidation

What are some examples of metabolic pathways?

linear, forked, and cyclic

What are the 3 types of metabolic pathways?

Enthalpy (H)

Thermodynamic term that is…

• heat content of a system

• measured in J*mol^-1

Entropy (S)

Thermodynamic term that is…

• measure of a systems’ disorder or randomness

• Units: J/(K*mol)

Gibbs Free Energy (G)

Thermodynamics term that is…

• measure of free energy of a system based on enthalpy and entropy

• Units: J*mol^-1

Coupling

Process that allows the energy from a “favorable” rxn to drive an unfavorable rxn forward

prokaryotes

Small, unicellular organisms that lack a discrete nucleus and usually contain no internal membrane systems

eukaryotes

organism that contains cells in which there is a nuecleus and other membrane-bound cellular components (mitochondria, chloroplasts etc.)

• likely to come from prokaryotic cells