Carbohydrates and Monosaccharides

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to carbohydrates, monosaccharide structure, polysaccharide functions (storage and structural), and their roles in cell identity and energy metabolism, based on Chapter 1-6 lecture notes.

Aldose

A monosaccharide with a carbonyl group located on the terminal carbon (c double carbon).

Monosaccharides

Single units of sugar, characterized by having at least three carbons, at least two hydroxyl groups, and one carbonyl group.

Ketose

A monosaccharide with a carbonyl group placed internally.

Triose

A monosaccharide containing three carbon atoms.

Tetrose

A monosaccharide containing four carbon atoms.

Pentose

A monosaccharide containing five carbon atoms.

Hexose

A monosaccharide containing six carbon atoms.

Glyceraldehyde

A monosaccharide that is both an aldose (terminal carbonyl) and a triose (three carbons).

Dihydroxyacetone

A monosaccharide that is both a ketose (internal carbonyl) and a triose (three carbons).

Isomers

Molecules that have the same chemical formula and the same number and type of atoms, but differ in their arrangement.

Alpha glucose

A type of glucose ring structure where the hydroxyl group on carbon 1 is facing down.

Beta glucose

A type of glucose ring structure where the hydroxyl group on carbon 1 is facing up.

Monomer

A single unit of a larger molecule, such as a monosaccharide for carbohydrates.

Oligosaccharides

Carbohydrates composed of a few sugar units linked together.

Polysaccharides

Carbohydrates composed of many sugar units linked together.

Condensation reaction

A reaction where two molecules are joined together by the removal of a water molecule, often used to link sugars.

Glycosidic linkage

The covalent bond formed between two monosaccharides through a condensation reaction.

Disaccharide

A carbohydrate composed of two sugar molecules linked together.

Starch

A polysaccharide used for energy storage in plants, characterized by alpha 1,4 and sometimes alpha 1,6 glycosidic linkages forming helical structures.

Glycogen

A polysaccharide used for energy storage in animals (liver and muscles), forming highly branched helical structures via alpha 1,4 and alpha 1,6 linkages.

Amylose

A component of starch, consisting of a single helical chain formed by alpha 1,4 glycosidic linkages.

Amylopectin

A component of starch, consisting of branched helical chains formed by alpha 1,4 and alpha 1,6 glycosidic linkages.

Alpha 1,4 linkages

Glycosidic bonds formed between the hydroxyl group on carbon 1 of one glucose molecule and carbon 4 of another, creating linear chains.

Alpha 1,6 linkages

Glycosidic bonds formed between the hydroxyl group on carbon 1 of one glucose molecule and carbon 6 of another, leading to branching in polysaccharides.

Nonpolar covalent bonds

Covalent bonds, typically between carbon and hydrogen, that store a large amount of potential energy accessible for cellular processes like ATP production.

Carbohydrate

A molecule composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (often in the ratio of CnH2nOn), primarily used as an energy source for making ATP.

Cellulose

A polysaccharide providing structural support in plant cell walls and algae, formed by beta 1,4 glycosidic linkages which create parallel strands reinforced by hydrogen bonds.

Beta 1,4 glycosidic linkage

Glycosidic bonds between beta glucose molecules, where the hydroxyl groups in the up position from carbon 1 and carbon 4 link, forming strong, linear, parallel strands.

Chitin

A structural polysaccharide found in the cell walls of fungi and external skeletons of insects and crustaceans, composed of beta glucose units with an added nitrogen group, providing extra stability through offset hydrogen bonding.

Peptidoglycan

A structural polymer found in bacterial cell walls, similar to chitin but with an amino acid chain attached to carbon 3 of beta glucose units, providing stability through covalent interactions between amino acid strands.

Penicillin

An antibiotic that functions by breaking down peptidoglycan in bacterial cell walls.

Lysozymes

Enzymes, found in tears and sweat, capable of breaking the bonds within peptidoglycan as part of the immune system.

Dietary fiber

Indigestible plant material (like cellulose) that aids in digestion by forming a porous, bulky mass, helping fecal matter move through the intestinal tract and preventing hydrolysis.

Glycolipids

Carbohydrate chains attached to lipids, found on the cell surface, important for cell identity and functions like blood typing.

Glycoprotein

Carbohydrate chains attached to proteins, found on the cell surface, also crucial for cell identity and communication.

Cell identity

The unique signature of a cell, primarily determined by the carbohydrates (glycolipids and glycoproteins) displayed on its surface, allowing the immune system to distinguish 'self' from 'non-self'.

ABO blood typing

A system for classifying blood based on the specific glycolipid signatures (A, B, or O) present on the surface of red blood cells.

Cell-to-cell communication

The process by which cells interact and exchange information with each other, often mediated by surface carbohydrates.

Potential energy (in carbohydrates)

Energy stored within the chemical bonds of carbohydrate molecules, particularly in the weak nonpolar carbon-carbon (C-C) and carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants and other organisms use sunlight, CO2, and water to synthesize glucose (storing energy) and release oxygen.

ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)

The primary energy currency of the cell, storing energy in its high-energy phosphoanhydride bonds to power various cellular reactions.

Cellular respiration

The metabolic process that breaks down glucose and oxygen to release energy, producing ATP, carbon dioxide, and water.

Aerobic cellular respiration

A type of cellular respiration that requires oxygen to efficiently break down glucose and generate ATP.

Complementary processes

Photosynthesis and aerobic respiration are complementary, meaning the products of one are the reactants of the other, forming a cycle that sustains life.

Phosphoanhydride bond

The high-energy bond connecting the phosphate groups in ATP, where chemical energy is stored and released for cellular activities.