Chemistry of Life - Organic and Inorganic Compounds

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from the 'Chemistry of Life' lecture, including definitions of nutrients, metabolites, organic/inorganic compounds, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, along with their structures and functions.

Nutrients

Essential chemical compounds obtained from the diet.

Metabolites

Molecules synthesized (anabolism) or broken down (catabolism) inside the body.

Organic Compounds

Chemical compounds that have carbon and hydrogen as their primary structural component.

Inorganic Compounds

Chemical compounds that are not primarily carbon and hydrogen.

Four Major Classes of Organic Compounds

Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, and Nucleic acids.

Polymers

Long chains of subunits (monomers) often created to form major organic compounds.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds including sugars and starches with a carbon:hydrogen:oxygen ratio close to 1:2:1, primarily used for energy.

Glycoproteins

Compounds formed when sugars and simple starches are attached to proteins.

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars, classified by their number of carbon atoms (e.g., glucose, fructose).

Disaccharides

Compound sugars formed from two monosaccharides (e.g., sucrose, lactose, maltose).

Polysaccharides

Complex sugars, which are large chains of monosaccharides (e.g., starches, glycogen, cellulose).

Dehydration Synthesis

An anabolic process where di- and polysaccharides are formed from monosaccharides by removing water.

Hydrolysis

A catabolic process where complex sugars (dimers) are broken down into monomers by adding water.

Isomers

Compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures (e.g., glucose, fructose, mannose, galactose are all C6H12O6).

Glycogen

Animal starch, a large polysaccharide of glucose stored in the liver and muscle for energy.

Lipids

Organic compounds including fats, oils, and waxes, generally water-insoluble, with a carbon to hydrogen ratio usually 1:2 and very little oxygen.

Saturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids where each carbon atom in the tail has 4 single bonds (2 H atoms attached).

Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids where some carbon atoms in the tail have double bonds (1 H atom attached).

Glycerides

Lipids consisting of 1 molecule of glycerol and attached fatty acids.

Triglycerides

Glycerides containing three fatty acids, commonly known as fats and oils.

Phospholipids

Fatty acids containing a head of diglyceride and a phosphate group (PO4), present in cell membranes.

Glycolipids

Fatty acids with a head containing carbohydrates, present in cell membranes.

Amphiphilic Molecules

Molecules that have both hydrophilic (water-loving) and hydrophobic (water-fearing) regions, such as phospholipids and glycolipids.

Steroids

Lipids involved in cell membrane structure, including sex hormones and hormones regulating metabolism (e.g., cholesterol).

Proteins

Chains of amino acids that perform many vital functions in the body, such as structural support, transport, and enzymatic activity.

Amino Acids

The building blocks of proteins, containing an amino group, a carboxylic group, and a radical (R) group.

Peptide Bonds

Covalent bonds that link amino acids together to form dipeptides, tripeptides, and polypeptides.

Polypeptides

Linear sequences of multiple amino acids held together by peptide bonds.

Essential Amino Acids

Amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the human body and must be obtained from the diet.

Zwitterion

The form of an amino acid at physiological pH, where it acts as both a cation (positively charged amino group) and an anion (negatively charged carboxylic acid group).

Primary Protein Structure

The unique sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain.

Secondary Protein Structure

The folding and bending of the polypeptide chain, forming helices or pleated sheets due to hydrogen bonding.

Tertiary Protein Structure

The three-dimensional shape of a single polypeptide chain, influenced by interactions between amino acid R groups (e.g., disulfide bonds).

Quaternary Protein Structure

The arrangement of two or more polypeptide chains (proteins) associated as a functional unit.

Denatured Protein

A protein that has lost its specific tertiary or quaternary structure, and thus its function, often due to extreme temperatures or pH levels.

Nucleic Acids

Extremely large molecules made up of nucleotides, responsible for storing and processing genetic information (DNA and RNA).

Nucleotides

The subunits of nucleic acids, composed of a pentose sugar (deoxyribose or ribose), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

A nucleic acid typically found in the nucleus, serving as the genetic material, directing protein synthesis, and replicating itself, with bases Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, and Guanine.

RNA (Ribonucleic Acid)

A nucleic acid typically found in the cytoplasm, carrying out genetic instructions for protein synthesis, with bases Adenine, Uracil, Cytosine, and Guanine.

Double Helix

The characteristic two-stranded, twisted ladder structure of DNA.

Complementary Base Pairs

Specific pairings between nitrogenous bases in DNA and RNA (Adenine with Thymine/Uracil, Guanine with Cytosine) that ensure stable binding.

High Energy Compounds

Chemical compounds containing high-energy bonds that release energy when broken, such as Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP).

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

The primary energy currency of the cell, formed by adding a phosphate group to Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP) through phosphorylation.

Phosphorylation

The process of adding a phosphate group to Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP) to synthesize Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP).

Adenosine Triphosphatase (ATPase)

An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of ATP to ADP and inorganic phosphate, releasing energy.