Biology; Chapter 3- Carbon and Molecular Diversity of Life

What defines an organic molecule?

An organic molecule is a compound that contains carbon, typically bonded to hydrogen and often other elements like oxygen, nitrogen, or sulfur.

What is the significance of carbon's electron configuration?

Carbon has 6 electrons, with 4 in its valence shell, allowing it to form 4 covalent bonds.

What are the types of bonds that carbon can form?

Carbon can form single (-ane), double (-ene), and triple (-yne) bonds.

What are hydrocarbons?

Hydrocarbons are organic molecules consisting only of carbon and hydrogen.

What are isomers?

Isomers are molecules with the same chemical formula but different structures.

What is the role of functional groups in organic molecules?

Functional groups determine the chemical reactivity and biological function of organic molecules.

What are the seven most important functional groups for biological processes?

Hydroxyl, Carbonyl, Carboxyl, Amino, Phosphate, Sulfhydryl, and Methyl.

What is ATP and its function?

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) can react with water or other molecules to release energy for cellular use.

What is a monomer?

A monomer is a repeating unit that serves as the building block of a polymer.

What is a polymer?

A polymer is a long molecule made of many similar or identical building blocks linked by covalent bonds.

What is a condensation reaction?

A condensation reaction is a chemical reaction where two molecules are joined by removing a molecule of water.

What is hydrolysis?

Hydrolysis is a reaction in which a covalent bond is broken by the addition of water.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are sugars and polymers of sugars, with the chemical formula (CH2O)n.

What is the most common monosaccharide?

Glucose (C6H12O6) is the most common monosaccharide.

What are disaccharides?

Disaccharides are formed by two monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic bond.

What are polysaccharides?

Polysaccharides are long chains of monosaccharides that serve as energy storage or structural materials.

What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids?

Saturated fatty acids have only single bonds, while unsaturated fatty acids contain one or more double bonds.

What is the structure of fats?

Fats consist of fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone, formed through dehydration reactions.

What is the significance of the cis and trans configurations in fatty acids?

Cis configuration has both hydrogens on the same side, causing a kink, while trans configuration has hydrogens on opposite sides.

What is the role of cellulose?

Cellulose is a structural polymer and the most abundant natural polymer on Earth.

What is the function of lipids?

Lipids serve as membranes, energy storage, insulation, and signaling molecules.

What are the main components of ATP?

ATP consists of adenosine and three phosphate groups.

What is the role of water in hydrolysis reactions?

Water is added to break covalent bonds, resulting in the formation of monomers from polymers.

What is the structure of amylopectin?

Amylopectin is a branched storage polysaccharide in plants, consisting of glucose monomers.

What is glycogen?

Glycogen is a highly branched storage polysaccharide found in animals and fungi.

How do structural isomers differ?

Structural isomers have different covalent arrangements of atoms, affecting their properties.

What is the significance of small changes in functional groups?

Small changes can lead to significant differences in biological function, as seen in drug enantiomers.

What are the characteristics of fats?

Fats lack both double and triple bonds, have fatty acids linked to long-chained alcohols, and do not contain carboxyl groups.

What is the structure of phospholipids?

Phospholipids consist of a glycerol backbone, two fatty acid tails, and a phosphate group, making them amphipathic molecules.

What role do proteins play in cells?

Proteins account for more than 50% of the dry mass of most cells and are instrumental in nearly all cellular functions.

What defines the primary structure of proteins?

The primary structure of proteins is determined by the amino acid sequence, which is made up of 20 common amino acids.

How are polypeptides formed?

Polypeptides are formed when the carboxyl group of one amino acid is close to the amino group of another, joined by a dehydration reaction.

What is the significance of protein folding?

Proteins must be folded into a specific three-dimensional shape to be functional, as their structure determines their function.

What is denaturation in proteins?

Denaturation is the process where proteins unravel due to changes in environmental conditions, which can be reversible or irreversible.

What are the two main types of nucleic acids?

The two main types of nucleic acids are DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid).

What is the primary function of RNA?

RNA functions in protein synthesis and includes types such as mRNA, tRNA, and rRNA.

What is the relationship between genes and proteins?

Genes consist of DNA, which determines the amino acid sequence of polypeptides, thus influencing protein structure and function.

What are the components of nucleotides?

Nucleotides consist of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and one to three phosphate groups.

How do DNA strands run in a double helix?

In a double-stranded DNA molecule, the two strands run antiparallel, with one strand running 5′ to 3′ and the other 3′ to 5′.

What is the difference between DNA and RNA bases?

DNA uses adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T), while RNA uses A, G, C, and uracil (U).

What is gene expression?

Gene expression is the process by which the information in a gene is used to synthesize proteins, determining the protein's shape and function.

What is the impact of a single amino acid substitution in proteins?

A single amino acid substitution can significantly affect a protein's structure and function, as seen in sickle-cell disease.

What is the role of bioinformatics in genomics?

Bioinformatics involves using computer software and tools to analyze large sets of genomic data and compare genomes of different species.

What is the significance of molecular biology in evolution?

Molecular biology can assess evolutionary kinship by comparing DNA sequences among related species.

What is the direction of protein synthesis?

Protein synthesis occurs in a directional manner, with the amino terminus (N-terminus) facing the start and the carboxyl terminus facing the end.

What are the four levels of protein structure?

The four levels of protein structure are primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures.

What is the secondary structure of proteins?

The secondary structure of proteins is formed by hydrogen bonds in the backbone, resulting in repeating structures like alpha helices and beta sheets.

What defines the tertiary structure of proteins?

The tertiary structure is determined by bonds and interactions among the side chains of amino acids.

What is the quaternary structure of proteins?

The quaternary structure involves interactions between two or more tertiary structures.

How do environmental factors affect protein structure?

Physical and chemical conditions such as pH, salt concentration, and temperature can alter protein structure, potentially leading to denaturation.

What is the significance of the R group in amino acids?

The R group (variant group) of an amino acid determines its chemical nature and contributes to the protein's overall properties.

What is the role of glycerol in phospholipids?

Glycerol serves as the backbone for phospholipids, linking to two fatty acid tails and a phosphate group.