AP Bio Unit 1: Chp 3: Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life (Intro and Carbohydrates)

Polymer

Long molecule consisting of many similar building blocks

Monomers

Small building-block molecules

Dehydration reaction/synthesis

Creates a polymer; Short polymer is attached to an unlinked monomer to create a longer polymer by removing a water molecule to form a new bond. Facilitated by enzymes

Hydrolysis

Breaking down a polymer to a monomer; Adds a water molecule, breaking a bond. Reverses dehydration reaction. Facilitated by enzymes

Biomolecules (Macromolecules/large molecules)

Molecules that make up EVERY LIVING THING; Ingredients of life: Essential energy sources, storage, and instructions

Carbohydrates

Source of all energy, includes sugars and the polymers of sugars (-saccharides)

Monosaccharides

Simplest sugar/carb, instant energy, major fuel for cells and raw material for building molecules, classified by # of carbons in carbon skeleton and the placement of the carboxyl group (C=O)

Examples of Monosaccharides

Glucose, Fructose

Ratio of elements found in carbohydrates

CH2O (1:2:1)

Glucose

C6H12O6

Fructose

Same molecular formula as glucose but arranged differently

Glycosidic Linkage

type of ether bond that joins a carbohydrate molecule to another group, which may or may not be another carbohydrate

Disaccharides

2 monosaccharides put together (dehydration synthesis)

Sucrose

Example of a disaccharide; glucose and fructose molecules joined by covalent bonds

Polysaccharides

Polymers of sugar, can contain 1,000s of simple sugar units; used for storage and structural roles, structure and function is determined by sugar monomers and positions of glycosidic linkages

Storage polysaccharides

Starch, Glycogen

Starch

Plants store glucose monomers in this, simplest form of this is amylose

Glycogen

Storage polysaccharide in animals, stored in liver and muscle cells (short term storage)

Polysaccharide cellulose

a major component of the tough wall of plant cells