Gen Bio 1: Lecture 3 Biological Molecules
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Q: Why is carbon important in biology?
A: It forms 4 bonds, allowing for complex and diverse organic molecules.
Q: What are organic compounds?
A: Molecules mainly composed of carbon and hydrogen (and often O, N, etc.).
Q: What are hydrocarbons?
A: Molecules made only of carbon and hydrogen; nonpolar and hydrophobic.
Q: How can hydrocarbons change properties?
A: By replacing H atoms with functional groups.
Q: What is a functional group?
A: A group of atoms attached to carbon, replacing H, which changes shape and properties; key to molecular function (R)
Q: Name the 6 key functional groups in biology and their properties.
Hydroxyl (-OH): Polar, hydrophilic, found in alcohols.
Carbonyl (C=O): Polar, hydrophilic, found in sugars.
Carboxyl (-COOH): Acidic, hydrophilic, found in amino acids, fatty acids.
Amino (-NH2): Basic, hydrophilic, found in amino acids.
Phosphate (-PO4): Acidic, hydrophilic, found in phospholipids, nucleic acids, ATP.
Methyl (-CH3): Nonpolar, hydrophobic, involved in DNA methylation.
Q: What are macromolecules?
A: Large molecules made of thousands of atoms.
Q: What is a polymer?
A: A macromolecule made of chains of monomers.
Q: What is a monomer?
A: Repeating building block of a polymer.
Q: What is dehydration synthesis?
A: A reaction that builds larger molecules by removing water.
Q: What is hydrolysis?
A: A reaction that breaks down molecules by adding water.
Q: What are the 4 classes of biological macromolecules?
A: Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids.
(Lipids are NOT polymers; the other three are.)
Q: What are carbohydrates made of?
A: Polymers of sugars, made of CH2O units.
Q: What is a monosaccharide?
A: The monomer of carbohydrates; usually 3–6 carbons (e.g., glucose).
Q: What is a polysaccharide?
A: A polymer of hundreds to thousands of monosaccharides linked by glycosidic bonds.
Q: Main functions of polysaccharides?
A: Storage: starch (plants), glycogen (animals).
Structure: cellulose (plants), chitin (exoskeletons).
Q: Are lipids polymers?
A: No, they are diverse macromolecules that are hydrophobic.
Q: How do lipids interact with water?
A: They are not water-soluble but dissolve in nonpolar solvents.
Q: What bonds are often used in building lipids?
A: Ester bonds.
Q: Name three important types of lipids and their functions.
Fats: Glycerol + fatty acids; energy storage.
Phospholipids: Glycerol + fatty acids + phosphate; amphipathic; form cell membranes.
Steroids: Ring structure; membrane structure and signaling (hormones).
Q: What is the monomer of proteins?
A: Amino acids.
Q: What are the parts of an amino acid?
A: Central carbon, hydrogen, carboxyl group, amino group, R group/side chain.
Q: How many amino acids are there in cellular life?
A: 20.
Q: How are amino acids linked?
A: By peptide bonds to form polypeptides.
Q: Name the four levels of protein structure.
A: Primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary.
Q: What is denaturation?
A: Loss of protein’s structure and function due to environmental changes.
Q: Functions of proteins?
A: Structure, signaling, enzymes, defense, transport.
Q: What are the two main nucleic acids?
A: DNA and RNA.
Q: Function of nucleic acids?
A: Store and transmit genetic information.
Note 
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