Chemical Building Blocks of Life

Biological molecules

These consist primarily of carbon bonded to carbon, or carbon bonded to other molecules.

1. Carbon bonded to carbon, or

2. Carbon bonded to other molecules

Biological molecules consist primarily of (2):

4

Carbon can form up to how many covalent bonds?

True

(ADDITIONAL: Functional groups include hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amino, sulfhydryl, phosphate, and methyl.)

TRUE OR FALSE. Carbon may be bonded to functional groups with specific properties.

Isomers

These are molecules with the same chemical formula.

1. Structural isomers

2. Stereoisomers

Isomers can either be (2):

1. Chain isomerism

2. Position isomerism

3. Functional group isomerism

Structural isomers can be (3):

Chiral molecules

These are mirror-images of each other.

Optimal isomers

Chiral molecules are also known as ___.

FAMILIARIZE.

FAMILIARIZE.

FAMILIARIZE.

FAMILIARIZE.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. Biological molecules are typically large molecules constructed from smaller subunits.

1. Monomer

2. Polymer

Biological molecules are constructed from smaller subunits. Examples are (2):

Monomer

(ADDITIONAL: Mono = 1; mer = unit)

It is a small molecule.

Polymer

(ADDITIONAL: poly = many; mer = unit)

It is a long-chain molecule made up of a repeated pattern of monomers.

Dehydration synthesis

It is the formation of large molecules by the removal of water.

Hydrolysis

It is the breakdown of large molecules by the addition of water.

Dehydration synthesis

In this reaction, monomers are joined to form polymers.

Hydrolysis

In this reaction, polymers are broken down to monomers.

FAMILIARIZE.

FAMILIARIZE.

Carbohydrates

These are molecules with a 1:2:1 ratio of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

(CH20)n

What is the empirical formula for carbohydrates?

1. Sugars

2. Starch

3. Glucose

Enumerate three (3) examples of carbohydrates.

False

(EXPLANATION: C-H covalent bonds hold much energy. Hence, carbohydrates are good energy storage molecules.)

TRUE OR FALSE. C-H covalent bonds hold less energy. Hence, carbohydrates are bad energy storage molecules.

Glucose

CARBOHYDRATES. Determine what is being described below.

It is a monosaccharide that contains 6 carbons and considered very important in energy storage.

Monosaccharide

CARBOHYDRATES. Determine what is being described below.

It means ‘single sugar’.

Fructose

CARBOHYDRATES. Determine what is being described below.

It is a structural isomer of glucose.

Galactose

CARBOHYDRATES. Determine what is being described below.

It is a stereoisomer of glucose.

FAMILIARIZE.

FAMILIARIZE.

Disaccharides

CARBOHYDRATES. Determine what is being described below.

These are two (2) monosaccharides linked together by dehydration synthesis.

Disaccharides

CARBOHYDRATES. Determine what is being described below.

These are used for sugar transport or energy storage.

1. Sucrose

2. Lactose

3. Maltose

Enumerate three (3) examples of disaccharides.

Polysaccharides

CARBOHYDRATES. Determine what is being described below.

These are long chains of sugars that are used for energy storage.

Starch

CARBOHYDRATES. Determine what is being described below.

In plants, a polysaccharide that is used for energy storage is ___.

Glycogen

CARBOHYDRATES. Determine what is being described below.

In animals, a polysaccharide that is used for energy storage is ___.

Cellulose

CARBOHYDRATES. Determine what is being described below.

In plants, a polysaccharide that is used for structural support is ___.

Chitin

CARBOHYDRATES. Determine what is being described below.

In plants, a polysaccharide that is used for structural support is ___.

Nucleic acids

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

These are polymers of nucleotides.

1. Sugar

2. Phosphate

3. Nitrogenous base

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

Nucleotides are composed of three (3) components which are:

Deoxyribose

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

It is the sugar found in DNA.

Ribose

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

It is the sugar found in RNA.

1. Purines (Ex.: adenine, guanine)

2. Pyrimidines (Ex.: thymine, cytosine, uracil)

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

Nitrogenous bases include (2):

FAMILIARIZE.

FAMILIARIZE.

DNA

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

It is composed of nucleotides connected by phosphodiester bonds.

DNA

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

Its shape is a double helix with 2 polynucleotide strands connected by hydrogen bonds.

DNA

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

Genetic information is carried in the sequence of its nucleotides.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. Polynucleotide strands are complementary.

Phosphodiester bonds

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

DNA is composed of nucleotides connected by what bonds?

FAMILIARIZE.

FAMILIARIZE.

RNA

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

It contains ribose instead of deoxyribose and uracil instead of thymine.

RNA

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

It is a single polynucleotide strand.

RNA

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

Its functions include reading the genetic information in DNA and directing the synthesis of proteins.

FAMILIARIZE.

FAMILIARIZE.

DNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of function.

Long-term storage of genetic information; transmission of genetic information to make other cells and new organisms

RNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of function.

Used to transfer the genetic code from the nucleus to the ribosomes to make proteins; used to transmit genetic information in some organisms

RNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of function.

May have been the molecule used to store genetic blueprints in primitive organisms

DNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of structural features.

B-form double helix

DNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of structural features.

A double-stranded molecule consisting of a long chain of nucleotides

RNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of structural features.

A-form helix

RNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of structural features.

A single-strand helix consisting of shorter chains of nucleotides

DNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of composition of bases and sugars.

Deoxyribose sugar phosphate backbone

DNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of composition of bases and sugars.

Adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine bases

RNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of composition of bases and sugars.

Adenine, guanine, cytosine, uracil bases

RNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of composition of bases and sugars.

Ribose sugar phosphate backbone

RNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of propagation.

It is synthesized on an as-needed basis.

DNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of propagation.

It is self-replicating.

DNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of base pairing.

A-T (adenine-thymine)
G-C (guanine-cytosine)

RNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of base pairing.

A-U (adenine-uracil)
G-C (guanine-cytosine)

DNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of reactivity.

The C-H bonds make it fairly stable, and the body destroys enzymes that would attack it.

RNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of reactivity.

The O-H bond in the ribose makes the molecule more reactive.

RNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of reactivity.

It is not stable under alkaline conditions, and the large grooves in the molecule make it susceptible to enzyme attack.

DNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of reactivity.

The small grooves in the helix serve as protection, providing minimal space for enzymes to attach.

RNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of reactivity.

It is constantly produced, used, degraded, and recycled.

DNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of ultraviolet damage.

It is susceptible to UV damage.

RNA

DNA OR RNA. Determine what is being described below in terms of ultraviolet damage.

It is relatively resistant to UV damage.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

It is the primary energy currency of the cell.

NAD+

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

It is a redox coenzyme that can oxidize a metabolite by accepting two electrons and a hydrogen ion or can reduce a metabolite by giving up electrons.

FAD

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

It is a redox coenzyme that accepts two electrons and two hydrogen ions.

NADH

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

NAD+ can oxidize a metabolite by accepting two electrons and a hydrogen ion which results in ___.

FADH2

NUCLEIC ACID. Determine what is being described below.

FAD accepts two electrons and two hydrogen ions to become ___.

TRUE

TRUE OR FALSE. Each metabolic reaction in cellular respiration is catalyzed by its own enzyme.

True

TRUE OR FALSE. Electrons received by NAD+ and FAD are high-energy electrons and are usually carried to the electron transport system.

False

(EXPLANATION: Only a small amount of NAD+ is needed in cells, because each NAD+ molecule is used over and over again.)

TRUE OR FALSE. A large amount of NAD+ is needed in cells.

1. Enzyme catalysts

2. Defense

3. Transport

4. Support

5. Motion

6. Regulation

7. Storage

PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

Protein functions include (7):

Proteins

PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

These are polymers of amino acids.

20 amino acids

PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

How many common amino acids are there?

Dehydration synthesis

PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

Amino acids are joined by what reaction?

Peptide bonds

PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

What bonds form between adjacent amino acids?

1. Amino group

2. Carboxyl group

3. Single hydrogen

4. Variable R group

PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

In the structure of an amino acid, the central carbon atom is surrounded by (4):

R group

PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

The structure of the ___ dictates the chemical properties of the amino acid.

1. Nonpolar

2. Polar

3. Charged

4. Aromatic

5. Special function

PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

Amino acids can be classified as (5):

True

TRUE OR FALSE. The shape of a protein determines its functions.

1. Primary structure

2. Secondary structure

3. Ternary structure

4. Quaternary structure

PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

The shape of a protein has four (4) types of structures which are:

Primary structure

STRUCTURES WITHIN PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

It refers to the sequence of amino acids.

Secondary structure

STRUCTURES WITHIN PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

It refers to the interaction of groups in the peptide backbone.

α- helix, β-sheet

STRUCTURES WITHIN PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

A protein’s secondary structure can either be (2):

FAMILIARIZE.

FAMILIARIZE.

Tertiary structure

STRUCTURES WITHIN PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

It refers to the folded shape of the polypeptide chain.

Quaternary structure

STRUCTURES WITHIN PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

It refers to the interactions between multiple polypeptide subunits.

Chaperone proteins

STRUCTURES WITHIN PROTEINS. Determine what is being described below.

Protein folding is aided by ___.