AP BIO - Functional Groups

hydroxyl

• VERY polar; makes things polar 

• Found in ALL macromolecules

carbonyl

• VERY polar 

• Found in proteins & lipids only

carboxyl

• More polar/charged

amine

• ALWAYS has a nitrogen 

• Found in proteins & nucleic acids only

phosphate

• Makes things more acidic / has a charge to it 

• ONLY found on phospholipids and in nucleic acids

sulfhydryl

• ALWAYS has sulfur 

• Can determine shape of proteins; only found in proteins