Biomolecules

Carbohydrates

• quick energy, starches which are used for energy storage, and structure for plant cell walls

• made up of C,H,O with a 1:2:1 ratio

• simplest unit are monosaccharides

What monosaccharides linked together by?

Glycosidic linkages; covalent ether bond that is formed through dehydration synthesis

Lipids

• includes oils, waxes, and steroids

• fats are mostly used for energy storage, phospholipids make up cell membranes, and steroids are hormones

• made up of C,H,O (have less O then carbs)

• do not interact well with water (bcs they´re nonpolar)

Triglyceride

lipids; built from fatty acids and glycerol

Triglyceride; long hydrocarbon chain with carboxyl group at one end (fatty acids) and a small 3 carbon molecules with hydroxyl groups that act as a backbone (glycerol)

Saturated Fats

no double bonds, solid at room temp., and more commonly found in animal fats

Unsaturated Fats

one or more double bonds, liquid at room temp., more commonly found in plant oils

Phospholipids

amphipatic with a phosphate head and two hydrogen fatty acid tails

Steroids

lipids with a 4-ring carbon structure and act as hormones (chemical messengers)

Proteins

• higly versatile macromolecules

• made of amino acids linked into polypeptides

• contain C,H,O,N

What is the structure of an amino acid?

an amino group, a carboxyl group, a hydrogen, an R group (side chain), and linked by peptide bonds through dehydration synthesis

What does an R group, aka variable side chain, do to an amino acid?

it makes each amino acid chemically distinct

How do protein structures affect proteins?

it affects protein functions and interactions among amino acids

Primary Structure

the amino acid sequence

Secondary Structure

• local folding patterns, rely mainly on interactions within the repeated peptide backbone

• alpha helix: right-handed spiral or coiled confirmation

• beta-pleated sheet: a zigzag or pleated arrangement (parallel or antiparallel)

Tertiary Structure

the 3D shape of one polypeptide (stabilized by R-group interactions unlike secondary structure which is stabilized by the backbone)

Quaternary Structure

arrangement of multiple polypeptide subuntis into one functional protein

Nucleic Acids

• store, transmit, and help to express hereditary info.

• DNA and RNA

• contain C,H,O,N,P

• monomer is nucleotides

Structure of Nuecleotides

• phosphate group

• 5-carbon sugar

• nitrogenous base

DNA

• double helix

• has ONE OH (at bottom)

RNA

• single stranded

• uses uracil instead of thymine

• has TWO OH (at bottom)