Biochemistry of Organic Compounds

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture on organic compounds, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, focusing on their structures, functions, and biochemical processes.

What do all organic compounds contain?

Carbon and hydrogen atoms.

What are the four primary categories of organic molecules?

Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

What is a functional group?

Attached groupings of atoms that influence the properties of organic molecules.

Which functional group acts as a base?

Amino group, -NH2.

What are carbohydrates primarily used for?

As energy sources.

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

Approximately 1:2:1.

Name an example of a monosaccharide.

Glucose or fructose.

What is a disaccharide?

Two monosaccharides joined together.

What is the process that creates disaccharides?

Dehydration synthesis.

What is hydrolysis?

The process that breaks disaccharides down to monosaccharides.

What are polysaccharides?

Complex carbohydrates formed from multiple disaccharides and/or monosaccharides.

Name an example of a polysaccharide.

Glycogen, starch, or cellulose.

What is the structural formula for an amino group?

-NH2.

What is a saturated fatty acid?

A fatty acid where each carbon has four attached hydrogens.

What is an unsaturated fatty acid?

A fatty acid that contains one or more double bonds in the tail.

What is the difference between a triglyceride and a monoglyceride?

A triglyceride has three fatty acids, while a monoglyceride has one.

What is cholesterol?

A steroid that maintains plasma membranes and is needed for cell growth.

What are eicosanoids?

Lipids derived from arachidonic acid that function as chemical messengers.

What roles do lipids play in the body?

Energy reserves, structural components of cells, and chemical messengers.

What elements are proteins primarily made of?

Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur or phosphorus.

What forms when amino acids are linked?

Peptides.

What is a peptide bond?

A covalent bond that connects the carboxyl group of one amino acid to the amino group of another.

What is the primary structure of a protein?

The sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain.

What is secondary structure in proteins?

Bonds that form between atoms at different parts of the polypeptide chain, like alpha-helix or beta-sheet.

What is tertiary structure in proteins?

The three-dimensional shape that results from coiling and folding of a polypeptide.

What is quaternary structure in proteins?

Interaction between multiple polypeptide chains forming a protein complex.

What is denaturation?

A change in protein structure that causes loss of function.

What are enzymes?

Proteins that facilitate biochemical reactions.

What is an active site?

The specific region of an enzyme where substrates bind.

What is specificity in enzymes?

Each enzyme catalyzes only one type of reaction.

What is ATP?

Adenosine triphosphate, the most common high-energy compound.

What is a nucleotide composed of?

A phosphate group, a pentose sugar, and a nitrogenous base.

Name the two types of nucleic acids.

DNA and RNA.

What are the differences between DNA and RNA?

DNA contains deoxyribose and thymine, while RNA contains ribose and uracil.

What structure do DNA molecules form?

A double helix.

What holds the two strands of DNA together?

Hydrogen bonds between complementary nitrogenous bases.

What are the nitrogenous bases in DNA?

Adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine.

What is the primary function of RNA?

To perform protein synthesis as directed by DNA.

Which nitrogenous base pairs with adenine in DNA?

Thymine.

Which nitrogenous bases are purines?

Adenine and guanine.

What are the main roles of carbohydrates?

Provide energy and structural support.

What are structural polysaccharides in plants?

Cellulose.

What is the main dietary energy source from plants?

Starches.

What is glycogen?

Animal starch formed from glucose, used for energy storage.

What is the role of phospholipids?

Structural components of cell membranes.

What is the hydrogen bond important for?

Stability and structure of proteins.

What are the three types of RNA?

Messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA).

Name a significant difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

Saturated have no double bonds, while unsaturated have one or more double bonds.

What is the role of dietary fat?

Provide essential fatty acids and energy.

What type of bond connects amino acids?

Peptide bond.

What are structural lipids responsible for?

Forming and maintaining cell membranes.

What happens during hydrolysis of carbohydrates?

They are broken down into simpler sugars.

Why do proteins have diverse functions?

Because of their various shapes and structures.

What is dehydration synthesis?

A process where molecules are joined together by losing water.

What are functional roles of proteins?

Enzymatic catalysis, structure, signaling, and transport.

What constitutes the backbone of nucleic acids?

A sugar-phosphate chain.

What type of bond links nucleotides in nucleic acids?

Phosphodiester bond.