SS5 Script Organic Molecules

Organic Molecules

Molecules that contain carbon and are associated with living organisms.

Hydrocarbons

Molecules consisting solely of carbon and hydrogen.

Hydroxyl Group

Consists of an oxygen atom bound to both a proton and a backbone, enhancing solubility in water.

Methyl Group

A functional group that distinguishes compounds and plays a role in gene regulation.

Carbonyl

A double bond between carbon and oxygen, forming aldehydes or ketones.

Carboxyl

A functional group consisting of a carbon atom bound to an oxygen atom and a hydroxyl group, making it an acid.

Amino Group

A polar group that can act as a base and form covalent bonds with carboxyl groups.

Phosphate Group

Consists of one phosphorus atom bound to four oxygen atoms, important for energy transfer and protein regulation.

Bonds vs Linkages

Bonds are connections between two atoms via shared electrons, while linkages involve two atoms connected by a third via two bonds.

Carbohydrates

Monomers and polymers of sugar used for energy generation, storage, and cell structure.

Glycosidic Linkages

Dehydration reactions between hydroxyl groups of monosaccharides that form disaccharides.

Polysaccharides

Carbohydrate polymers consisting of many monosaccharides, serving as energy storage compounds and structural components of cells.

Starch

A polysaccharide made by plants, consisting of 1-4 linkages with branches arising from 1-6 linkages.

Glycogen

A polysaccharide made by animals, similar to starch but more highly branched.

Cellulose

A polysaccharide made of beta-glucose monomers, providing structural support through hydrogen bonding.

Lipids

Hydrophobic molecules that mix poorly with water and have various functions in living organisms, including structure, energy storage, and signaling.

Triglycerides

Lipids consisting of three fatty acid molecules covalently bonded to glycerol, used by animals to store energy.

Phospholipids

Lipids with two fatty acid chains connected to a glycerol molecule and a phosphate group in the third position, making them amphipathic molecules ideal for cellular membranes.

Steroids

Lipids characterized by four interconnected rings of carbon, such as cholesterol, which is a component of animal cell membranes and a precursor for signaling molecules.

Proteins

Macromolecules composed of amino acids, which can fold onto themselves to form secondary structures like alpha helices and interact with each other to create tertiary structures.

Nucleic acids

Macromolecules made up of nucleotides, consisting of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and a phosphate group.

Ribose

A sugar used in RNA nucleotides, containing an oxygen that is lacking in deoxyribose.

Deoxyribose

A sugar used in DNA nucleotides, lacking an oxygen present in ribose.

Pyrimidines

Nitrogenous bases consisting of one ring, including cytosine, thymine (DNA), and uracil (RNA).

Purines

Nitrogenous bases consisting of two fused rings, including adenine and guanine.

Phosphodiester linkages

Connections between nucleotides in nucleic acid strands, giving them directionality with a 5' end (phosphate group) and a 3' end (hydroxyl group).

Antiparallel

DNA strands running parallel to each other but in opposite directions, with the 5' end of one strand matching the 3' end of the other strand.

Base pairing

Specific hydrogen bonding between nitrogenous bases, with cytosine always binding with guanine and adenine binding with thymine (DNA) or uracil (RNA).

RNA

Generally single-stranded nucleic acid molecules that can form complex secondary structures through hydrogen bonding between different regions of the strand, giving them unique three-dimensional shapes.