Biological Molecules: Functional Groups, Carbohydrates, and Lipids

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering functional groups, monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides, and lipids from the lecture slides.

Hydrolysis

A chemical process where an $OH$ group attaches to one monomer and an $H$ from water attaches to another monomer, used to break a bond in a polymer.

Hydroxyl group

A functional group with the structure $R-O-H$, found in alcohols and sugars.

Carboxyl group

A functional group found in amino acids and fatty acids.

Amino group

A functional group found in amino acids and proteins.

Sulfhydryl group

A functional group with the structure $R-S-H$, found in the amino acid cysteine and in proteins.

Phosphate group

A functional group found in ATP and nucleic acids.

Functional Groups Overview

Specific groups of atoms attached to carbon backbones ($R$ = remainder of molecule) that determine organic molecule characteristics.

Carbohydrates

Organic molecules mainly used as an immediate energy source and structural component, classified as monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.

Carbon Chain Variations

Carbon backbones that can vary in length, possess double bonds, be branched, or form rings of different sizes.

Monosaccharides

Single sugar molecules or simple sugars containing a backbone of three to seven carbons.

Glucose

A monosaccharide ($C_6H_{12}O_6$) that cells use as their primary energy source of choice.

Isomers of Glucose

Fructose and galactose, which share the chemical formula $C_6H_{12}O_6$ with glucose.

Ribose and Deoxyribose

Monosaccharides found in RNA and DNA.

Disaccharides

Carbohydrates formed by two monosaccharides bonded together.

Maltose Fermentation

The process where maltose undergoes hydrolysis into 2 glucose molecules, which yeast ferments into ethanol in beer production.

Sucrose

A disaccharide commonly referred to as table sugar.

Polysaccharides

Polymers of monosaccharides that function as energy storage molecules or structural components.

Starch

The polysaccharide form used by plants to store glucose.

Glycogen

The polysaccharide form used by animals to store glucose.

Cellulose

The most abundant organic molecule; a structural polysaccharide in plant cell walls featuring an alternating bond structure with hydrogen bonds, digested only by select microbes.

Chitin

A structural polysaccharide found in crab, lobster, and insect exoskeletons.

Lipids

Water-insoluble organic compounds consisting of long nonpolar hydrocarbon chains with a relative lack of hydrophilic functional groups.