Biology 20A: In-depth Notes on Cell and Molecular Biology

Chemical Bonding and Water
- Understand the role of water, pH, acids, bases, and buffers
- Familiarize with the metric system related to biology.

Predominant Atoms in Cells
- Recognize the key atoms such as Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen and their valences.
Atom Interactions
- Explain interactions through:
  - Covalent Bonds: Sharing of electron pairs
  - Ionic Bonds: Transfer of electrons leading to charged species.
Molecule Structure
- Draw structures of simple molecules based on chemical formulas.
Bond Types
- Differentiate between polar and nonpolar covalent bonds, identifying them in molecules.
Hydrogen Bonding
- Understand how polar covalent bonds enable hydrogen bonding, impacting molecular interactions.
Chemical Bonds in Biological Molecules
- Describe major types of chemical bonds and interactions in biological systems.
Water as a Solvent
- Justify why water is an ideal solvent due to its hydrogen bonding capabilities.
Predicting Molecular Interactions
- Make predictions about molecule interactions based on their chemical properties.
Understanding pH Scale
- Explain the pH scale’s relation to proton concentration in a solution.
Calculating pH
- Calculate the pH of strong acid solutions based on concentration.
Importance of Buffers
- Describe the significance of buffers in maintaining biological system pH levels.
Metric System Abbreviations
- Know common metric abbreviations and convert between units (e.g., mm to µm, M to mM).

Carbon as a Building Block
- Discuss why carbon is fundamental to biological molecules.
Functional Groups
- Identify and draw major functional groups (amino, carboxyl, hydroxyl, etc.).
Major Classes of Biological Macromolecules
- State types (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids) and their building blocks.
Polymers and Monomers
- Explain formation and breakdown (polymerization and hydrolysis).

Functions of Proteins
- Outline various functions (catalytic, structural, regulatory).
Amino Acids
- Name amino acids including abbreviations (three-letter and one-letter).
Properties of Amino Acids
- Classify R groups (nonpolar, polar, charged).
Amino Acid Interactions
- Predict interactions based on R group properties.
Structure of Amino Acids
- Draw and label structures with amino, carboxyl groups, and R group.
Peptide Bonds
- Illustrate how amino acids are linked by peptide bonds to form proteins.
Levels of Protein Structure
- Describe primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures.
Protein Structure Stability
- Explain factors influencing stability (temperature, pH).

Roles of Sugars
- Describe functions of sugars and their polymers.
Monosaccharides
- State the general formula and properties.
Linking Sugars
- Explain how disaccharides and polysaccharides form from monosaccharides.
Cellulose vs. Starch
- Compare their structures and biological roles.

Functions of Nucleotides
- State roles of DNA and RNA in gene expression.
Components of Nucleotides
- Identify nitrogenous bases, pentose sugar, phosphate group.
Nucleotide Structure
- Diagram formation of a nucleotide.
Phosphodiester Bonds
- Explain linking of nucleotides.
DNA Structure
- Illustrate the DNA double helix formation and strand interactions.