Chemical Compounds in Plant Cells and Their Functions

Element

Substance that cannot be chemically broken down.

Compound

Substance of at least two different elements combined.

25

How many essential elements are necessary for life in general?

Oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen

What 4 elements make up around 96 to 99.5% of living matter?

70%

Water is ____ of the entire plant body

Inorganic Molecules

A group of molecules/compounds that have no carbon. Includes water, inorganic salts, and ions.

Water

Most abundant substance in living organisms. Universal Solvent

Hydrogen ions (H+) and hydroxide ions (OH-)

What is produced when water dissociates?

Organic compounds

These are molecules that contain a carbon

Hydrogen Bond

_____________ form when a covalently-bonded H is attracted to a negatively-charged atom in a neighboring molecule

Are all compounds with carbons organic? What are examples of such?

No, not all carbon compounds are organic. Some examples are:

• CO2, CO (carbon oxides)

• CO3, HCO3 (carbonates/bicarbonates)

• HCN (cyanides)

• Compounds with one C and usually with no H

What are the four basic types of organic molecules?

Carbohydrates

Lipids

Proteins

Nucleic Acids

Carbon Compounds

Includes all organic molecules and some inorganic.

Functional Groups

Clusters of atoms that define molecular behavior and perform a useful function

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds made of sugars and starches.

the word comes from a ratio of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen to form C6H12O6

used for energy production, storage, and structure

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars, the building blocks of carbohydrates.

Disaccharides

condensation synthesis required to link two monosaccharides with each other through glycosidic bonds

Polysaccharides

bound together through polymerization of covalent bonds of 3 or more monosaccharides

can be classified into: structural and storage

Hydrocarbons

Non-polar compounds like oils and waxes that only contain carbon and hydrogen

Isomers

Compounds with the same formula but different structures.

Structural Isomers

Same atoms, different bonding patterns.

Stereoisomers

same molecular formula and sequence but differ in 3D (geometric isomers and enantiomers)

Cis-Trans Isomers

Stereoisomers differing in arrangement around a double bond.

Cis - same molecules on the same side; Trans - same molecules on opposite sides

Enantiomers

Molecules that are mirror images of each other.

Glycogen

Storage polysaccharide in animals, primarily in liver.

Cellulose

Structural polysaccharide in plant cell walls.

Also known as fibers

Most abundant organic compound on Earth; Toughest organic compound to digest

Chitin

Polysaccharide forming exoskeletons in insects, spiders, and crustaceans

Leathery texture but hardens when encrusted with calcium carbonate

found in cell walls in fungi

Starch

Energy storage polysaccharide in plants.

Alpha configuration of glucose that is a storage polysaccharide

Inulin

Fructose polymer found in some plants.

Lipids

Non-polar macromolecules, mainly for energy storage.

mostly hydrocarbons that share one common trait: little to no affinity for water and do not contain monomers

Triglycerides

Fats composed of glycerol and three fatty acids.

Saturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids with single bond between carbons; more stable

solid at room temp

examples: coconut oil, palm oil, and animal fat (lard)

Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids with double bonds; weaker due to low melting point and sensitivity to oxidation

liquid at room temp

examples: corn oil, soybean oil, olive oil, and canola oil

Phospholipids

Major components of cell membranes.

Lipids that deal with cell membranes

Waxes

Lipids used for waterproofing surfaces.

functions as retard water loss from plants

Steroids

Lipids that function as hormones.

Hydrocarbon with four linked carbon rings.

Fatty Acid

Hydrocarbon chain with carboxylic acid group.

Trans-Fatty Acids

Formed from partially hydrogenated oils, unhealthy for consumption.

Phospholipid

Glycerol with two fatty acids and a phosphate group.

Phospholipid Bilayer

Two layers of phospholipids forming cell membranes.

Hydrophilic Head

Water-attracting part of a phospholipid.

Hydrophobic Tail

Water-repelling fatty acid chains in phospholipids.

Atherosclerosis

Plaque buildup in arteries due to excess cholesterol.

Epidermis

Thin layer on plants that reduces water loss.

Hydrogenation

Process of adding hydrogen to oils, creating trans fats.

Amino Acids

Building blocks of proteins, 20 types exist.

contains amino group, carboxyl group, and an R group

Peptide Bonds

Covalent bonds linking amino acids together.

Dipeptide

Two amino acids linked by a peptide bond.

Lectins

Plant proteins that agglutinate cells and induce division.

Primary Structure of a plant cell

Sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain.

Secondary Structure of a plant cell

Local folded structures in polypeptides, e.g., alpha-helix.

Tertiary Structure of a plant cell

3D folding pattern of a protein, with 3.6 amino acids at every turn that has h-bonds stabilizing the structure between NH and CO groups

considered a functional protein

Quaternary Structure of a plant cell

Protein has more than one amino acid chain

Protein Denaturation

When proteins at their more functional, complex forms (tertiary or quaternary), revert to their simpler, non-functional forms (primary or secondary)

denatures via Heat, organic solvents, or physical agitation

16

How many of the essential elements for life are essential to plants?

Matter

All organisms are composed of _____

G. Tin

Plants have trace elements of the following EXCEPT:

A. Boron

B. Iron

C. Manganese

D. Zinc

E. Copper

F. Molybdenum

G. Tin

Being attracted to a lot more compounds

Involved in more reactions

Benefits of being polar

Liquid at room temperature

Universal solvent for polar molecules

Water molecules are cohesive, which means they really stick together

Slow temperature change

Characteristics of water that benefit living things

Glycerol and fatty acids

What are the building blocks of lipids?

Nucleotides

What are the building blocks of nucleic acids?

1:2:1 respectively

What is the ratio of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in carbohydrates?

Alcohol (-OH) groups attached

What makes most carbohydrates water-soluble?

Number of sugar molecules

Location of carbonyl group

Size of carbon skeleton

How can carbohydrates be classified?

Glucose: This is the main food molecule used by most living things that is produced through photosynthesis

What is this molecule?

True

[T/F] Glucose can be assembled into starch and cellulose

Fructose: Fruit sugar used to sweeten food products

What is this molecule?

Their structure, specifically ISOMERS

If monosaccharides have the same chemical formula, what differentiates them from each other?

Galactose

What is this molecule

Geometric isomers

different spatial arrangements using the cis-trans

• When we work, even when we sleep, all our cells are working

• Cells use up energy when they work

  • Immediate source of energy are: carbohydrates

  • So if we want to lose weight, we go on carb-free diets

• If we consume our carbs already, the stored carbs are the one that is lost

• If we are active and we don’t eat carbs, the next source of energy are the lipids

  • Lipids provide us energy

  • Hence, we don't see the results of our diet immediatel

Carbohydrates as quick sources of energy

Glucose, fructose, galactose

What are the monomers of carbohydrates?

Process of condensation synthesis or dehydration synthesis, where two molecules are combined to form a single molecule, usually with the loss of a small molecule such as water

How do two monosaccharides link together to form disaccharides?

Through hydrolysis, where a larger molecule forms two (or more) smaller molecules and water is consumed as a reactant. Water is introduced to break up the bond

How do you break up disaccharides?

Lactose

What is this molecule?

Maltose: malt sugar; glucose + glucose

Sucrose: common table sugar; glucose + fructose

Lactose: milk sugar; glucose + galactose

Most common disaccharides are:

Glucose

Fructose

Ribose, Deoxyribose

Vitamin C

What are examples of monosaccharides?

Sucrose

What is this molecule?

Maltose

What is this molecule

Cellulose

Starch

Most important polysaccharides for plants are

Cellulose

Chitin

Pectin

Examples of structural polysaccharides

100 billion tons

How much cellulose do plants produce per year?

Pectin

Found in cell walls and mid-lamella, as well as fruits especially citrus

Starch

Inulin

Gums

3 Storage Polysaccharides

Amylose; Amylopectin

Unbranched (simple) and branched (complex) starches are:

Glycogen

Starch is stored as ________ by animals in their liver and muscle cells

Gum

White sap in plants that are food reserve in seeds; serves as protection of plants when damaged

Oligosaccharides

What do you call 3 to 12 monosaccharides connected together, but also contains proteins?

Aldose (terminal)

Ketose (inner)

What are the two terms for the differing carbonyl groups of carbohydrates?

Ribulose, fructose

Examples of ketose carbohydrates

3	triose
4	tetrose
5	pentose
6	hexose
7	heptose
8	octose
9	nonose

What do you call different aldoses with 3 to 9 carbons?

3	triulose
4	tetrulose
5	pentulose
6	hexulose
7	heptulose
8	octulose
9	nonul

What do you call different ketoses with 3 to 9 carbons?

Miraculin (glycoprotein)

Steveoside (diterpine glycoside) or stevia

Clycyrrhizin (triterpine glycoside) or licorice

Give 3 sugar substitutes

• All living organisms are made up of organic molecules and use organic molecules to function

• Carbon can form a great variety of organic compound

Why is carbon so important to life?

List the different functional groups

Some lipids are amphipathic—part of their structure is hydrophilic and another part, usually a larger section, is hydrophobic. This means that lipids “fear” water

What does “affinity for water” mean?

Fats/oils

Phospholipids

Waxes

Steroids

What are the 4 types of lipids?

Fats/oils

Lipids that deal with energy storage

Tetrahedron

Triangular pyramid

Long chains and rings

Carbon’s bonding patterns

They are easier to break up since they have weaker bonds

Why are unsaturated fats “healthier”?