Lecture 3 Organic Chemistry (Briggs)

Monomers

Basic building blocks of macromolecules

Polymers

Large molecules formed from monomers by dehydration synthesis reactions.

Dehydration Synthesis

Process of forming polymers by removal of water.

Hydrolysis Reaction

Process of splitting polymers into monomers using water.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts speeding up reactions by binding to reactants (substrates) and reducing the energy needed to carry out a chemical reaction.

Carbohydrates

Macromolecules also known as polysaccharides, consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms, usually with a ratio of 2:1. Main functions include energy, energy storage, and cell structure.

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars and monomers of carbohydrates. Includes glucose, fructose, glycerol, and ribose

Disaccharides

Two monosaccharides joined by glycosidic bonds. Examples include sucrose and lactose.

Polysaccharides

Long chains of monosaccharides; also known as carbohydrates.

Starch

Plant energy storage polysaccharide, made up of glucose monomers held together by 1, 4 alpha glycosidic linkages (bonds).

Cellulose

Structural polysaccharide in plant cell walls made up glucose monomers held together by 1, 4 beta glycosidic linkages (bonds).

Glycogen

Animal energy storage polysaccharide made up of glucose monomers.

Lipids

Hydrophobic macromolecules, not true polymers. Includes the fats, phospholipids, steroids, and waxes.

Triglycerides

Fats composed of glycerol and three fatty acids. Main energy storage lipid.

Saturated fatty acids

Fatty acids with single carbon-carbon bonds completely surrounded (saturated) by hydrogen atoms.

Unsaturated fatty acids

Fatty acids with one or more carbon-carbon double bonds.

Phospholipids

Major component of cell membranes. Made up of a glycerol, two fatty acids, and a phosphate.

Steroids

Lipids with fused hydrocarbon rings

Proteins

Polymers of amino acids with diverse function

Amino Acids

Monomers of proteins, 20 common types

Peptide Bonds

Covalent bonds linking amino acids

Primary Structure

Linear sequence of amino acids in proteins

Secondary Structure

Folding patterns like alpha helix and beta sheet. in proteins.

Tertiary Structure

3D shape of a protein formed by R group interactions.

Quaternary Structure

Complex of multiple polypeptide chains

Denaturation

Loss of protein structure and function

Nucleic Acids

Polymers of nucleotides (DNA and RNA)

Nucleotides

Monomers of nucleic acids, including sugar, base.

DNA Structure

Double helix with a sugar-phosphate backbone

RNA Types

mRNA, tRNA, rRNA

Which functional groups are commonly found in the carbohydrates?

Hydroxyl group and carbonyl group

Which functional groups are commonly found in the lipids?

Carboxyl, methyl, hydroxyl group, phosphate group

Which functional groups are commonly found in the proteins?

Amino and carboxylic acid

Which functional groups are commonly found in the nucleic acids?

Hydroxyl group, phosphate group, amino group, carbonyl group

Name the four types of lipids

Fats (triglycerides), Phospholipids, Sterols, and Waxes

What is the main function of the waxes?

Waxes offer protection. They are very hydrophobic and seal water in and keep water out.

Hydrocarbon

Compounds composed of only carbon and hydrogen

What is the main function of the fats?

Fats are energy storage molecules, they also offer protection as cushioning and thermal regulation. Also known as triglycerides.

What are the main functions of the sterols (steroids)?

Sterols function as hormones and hormone precursors, and as membrane fluidity buffers

What bonds hold the nucleotides together to form the nucleic acids?

Covalent phosphodiester bonds

What bond holds the monosaccharides together forming polysaccharides?

Covalent glycosidic bonds

What bond holds the amino acids together forming polypeptides?

Covalent peptide bonds

Deoxyribose

The five carbon sugar found in DNA nucleotides

Which 5-carbon sugar is found in RNA?

Ribose

Which nucleotides are found in DNA?

Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Cytosine (C), and Guanine (G)

Adenine hydrogen bonds with which nucleotide in DNA?

Thymine

Which nucleotide is found in RNA but not in DNA?

Uracil

Which of the macromolecules are also macronutrients?

Carbohydrates, Fats, Proteins

What elements commonly make up the nucleic acids?

C,H,O,P,N

What elements are commonly found in the proteins?

C, H, O, N, S