Macromolecules: Proteins, Nucleic Acids, and Polysaccharides

A set of flashcards covering the structure, bonding, and classification of proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates based on the lecture transcript.

What are the individual units or monomers that make up proteins?

Amino acids, of which there are $20$ different types.

What specific type of covalent bond links the monomers together in a protein?

Peptide bonds, formed between the carboxylic group and the amino group of individual amino acids.

What structures characterize the secondary level of protein organization?

Alpha helices and beta sheets.

What types of bonds are primarily responsible for mediating secondary structures in proteins?

Hydrogen bonds between the carboxy groups and the amine groups.

What parts of the amino acid are largely responsible for determining tertiary and quaternary protein structures?

The R groups, which are unique for each amino acid.

What is the primary functional role of nucleic acids in a cell?

They serve as information carriers that store and transmit genetic information.

What are the two types of nucleic acid polymers mentioned in the transcript?

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid).

What are the individual subunits or building blocks of nucleic acids?

Nucleotides.

What are the three components that make up a nucleotide?

A base, a pentose (five-membered sugar molecule), and a phosphate group.

On which carbon of the pentose sugar is the nitrogenous base always connected?

Number $1$ carbon.

How does the number $2$ carbon of the pentose sugar differ between RNA and DNA?

In RNA, the number $2$ carbon has a hydroxyl group ($OH$), while in DNA it has a just a hydrogen atom ($H$).

At which carbon position is the phosphate group attached in a nucleotide organization?

Number $5$ carbon.

What is the term for a molecule consisting of only a base and a sugar (such as ribose)?

A nucleoside (e.g., adenosine).

What specific bond links neighboring nucleotides in a nucleic acid polymer?

Three-five ($3^{\prime}-5^{\prime}$) phosphodiester bonds or bridges.

What is the carbon range for a carbohydrate to be classified as an oligosaccharide?

Between $3$ and $10$ units.

In the stable cyclical conformation of glucose, which carbon position is not part of the six-membered ring?

Number $6$ carbon.