All organic molecules contain carbon and hydrogen atoms; Hydrocarbons
Organic molecules can be large and show a wide variety of chain and ring structures
Organisms need organic molecules to:
Main organic molecules used by organisms are:
Biochemistry: The study of the organic and inorganic molecules that make up living organisms
Metabolism: Sum of all the chemical reactions in an organism
Large organic molecules are made of many simmilar smaller molecules (subunits/isomers)
Subunits can be split apart by Hydrolisis
Living organisms can obtain molecules from their environment and rearrange them into shapes that suit their own particular requirements
Example:
Glucose (monosaccharide) →Glycogen (polysaccharide)
Importance of Carbohydrates
Proteins: Organic compounds containing Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen and Nitrogen (and sometimes sulphur)
Made up of the basic subunit (monomer) amino acids
Amino acids are soluble in water; can be transported in organisms
The sequence of amino acids determines the shape of the protein molecule
Examples
Enzymes have active sites where substrate molecules bind for a reaction to take place
Antibodies are proteins produced by WBCs which bind to antigens on the surface of antibodies
In proteins there are four components attached to a central carbon
Importance of proteins
Proteins are body builders and they are used in tissue growth and tissue repair
They are used to make antibodies, enzymes, hormones, and plasma proteins
Excess proteins are not stored in the body, they are converted into urea in the liver -deamination of amino acids
Lack of protein causes' ‘Kwashiorkor’
Hydrolisis breaks down proteins into amino acids by adding water
Condensation reactions synthesise protein molecules and water from amino acids
Lipids: Organic compounds containing chemical elements Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen
One molecule of lipid is made of 1 glycerol and 3 fatty acids and is made by condensation
Importance of lipids
DNA | RNA |
---|---|
Deoxyribonucleic acid | Ribonucleic acid |
Double helix | Single stranded |
A,C,T,G | A,C,G,U |
Contains genetic material | Shape changes depending on function |
Situated ONLY within the nuclei | Moves around cell |
DNA contains the instruction for the growth and development of organisims and is made of 2 strands wrapped around eachother forming a double helix
Nucleotides: individual units of DNA
The bases on each strand form cross links (hydrogen bonds) and form base pairs holding the two strands of DNA in the double helic together
Apple Tree and Car Garage to remember ;)
OR
Water allows substances to be easily transported arounf organisms
Digested food molecules in the alimentary canal are moved around the body using water as a solvent
Toxic substances (eg. urea) and substances in excess (eg. salts) are dissolved in water to be removed from the body (as urine)
Water is an important part of the cytoplasm and is involved in ensuring metabolic reaction can take place in cells
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