Biochem Lect 1

Introductory concepts

What is vitalism?

Old aristotle way of thinking that separated living & non-living chemistries, requiring a “vital force” that enabled production of organic compounds

What did Fredrich Wohler do?

He was able to synthesize an organic compound found in mammal’s urine, urea, and proved that living and non-living worlds were governed by the same principles

In the universal thermodynamic equation
ΔG = ΔH - TΔS

What do all chemical reactions (rxns) strive to increase and/or decrease?

Decrease ΔG, increase ΔS

Sign of ΔG for endergonic rxn

+ ; consumes E

Sign of ΔG for exergonic rxn

- ; produces E

Sign of ΔG for spontaneous rxn?

- ; Same as exergonic

Ways to make a rxn spontaneous

Add heat or couple rxns to make overall ΔG -

Do enzymes change ΔG?

No

What do enzymes do to speed up rxns?

Change activation energy (Ea) of rxn to make substrates reach transition state faster

What is anabolism

“Building up” of molecules

What is catabolism

“Breaking down” of molecules

What is lysate?

Term for internal parts of a lysed (broken) cell

How can you separate components of lysate

Centrifugation

What are the most commonly found elements in organisms? (hint: SPONCH)

Sulfur, Phosphorus, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon, and Hydrogen

What functional group is this?

Methyl

What functional group is this?

Ethyl

What functional group is this?

Phenyl

What functional group is this?

Aldehyde

What functional group is this?

Ketone

What functional group is this?

Carboxylate

What functional group is this?

Hydroxyl

What functional group is this?

Enol

What functional group is this?

Ether

What functional group is this?

Ester

What functional group is this?

Acetyl

What functional group is this?

Anhydride

What functional group is this?

Amine

What functional group is this?

Sulfhydryl

What functional group is this?

Disulfide

What functional group is this?

Thioester

What functional group is this?

Phosphoryl

What are 3 classes of biomolecules

Proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids

What makes single bonded carbons special compared to double bonded carbons?

Their 3D tetrahedral geometry allows free rotation around that carbon, whereas the double bonded carbon is very rigid and flat

Covalent bonds are ________ than ionic interactions, non-covalent bonds, and Van Der Waals forces

stronger

Although covalent is stronger than non-covalent, why are non-covalent interactions more prevelant in biomolecules?

Because their weakness allows molecules to constantly attach and deattach to other molecules