Biomolecules
What are the four main biological molecules?
Lipids, Proteins, Carbohydrates, Nucleic Acids
What is/are the function(s) of a carbohydrate?
Carbohydrates are primarily used during cellular respiration to convert to ATP, but some organisms may use them for structural purposes.
(eg: chitin-makes up exoskeleton of some organisms)
What makes up a triglyceride?
What is a polypeptide?
A polypeptide is a chain of amino acids.
Enzymes are associated with which of the four biomolecules?
Enzymes are proteins.
What makes a molecule organic?
Organic refers to when a molecule has a carbon backbone along with hydrogen. Inorganic molecules may contain either carbon or hydrogen, or neither. An example of an organic molecule is a carbohydrate, which is composed of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon.
What are the functions of lipids?
Lipids are fats, oils, and waxes. Fats and oils are primarily energy storage molecules in animals/plants, while waxes are often used as waterproofing. (eg. coating of leaves/stem in plants)
What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats?
Saturated fat molecules contain no double or triple bonds, whereas unsaturated molecules contain fewer hydrogen molecules per carbon and contain either a double or triple bond(which is healthier by the way).
What is dehydration synthesis?
Dehydration synthesis is the creation of a compound by removing a hydrogen(H+) from one molecule and a hydroxide from another (OH-)
Where do substrates bind to an enzyme?
They bind at the active site.
What is the monomer of proteins, and how many are in a protein?
Amino acids are the monomers of proteins, and there are 20 within a protein molecule.
What is the function of the polymer of nucleotides?
The polymer of nucleotides are nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, which carry genetic information.
What causes lactose intolerance?
Lactose intolerance is caused by the lack of the enzyme lactase in the body, resulting in a lack of hydrolysis to break down the lactose.
Define the terms "hydrophilic" and "hydrophobic"
Hydrophilic-"water-loving"/polar molecules that dissolve in water. (eg. salt)
Hydrophobic-"water-fearing"/nonpolar molecules that cannot dissolve in water (eg. fats)
What happens once an enzyme completed the reaction it catalyzes?
Nothing. The enzyme doesn't get used up. Rather, it restarts the process over and over again.
What are the three components of a nucleotide?
(Hint: It's the monomer of DNA/RNA)
A nucleotide is made up of a phosphate group, a sugar, and a nitrogenous base.
What are the two classes of organic molecules that serve as energy storage for a cell?
Polysaccharide/Polymers and Fats/Lipids
During one of the state labs, we used a specific solution to test for complex sugars. What is that solution, and what color indicates a positive result?
The solution is Lugol's Solution, and a positive result is given by a very dark or even black color. (Diffusion Lab)
Define a peptide bond.
A peptide bond is a chemical bond formed between two molecules when the carboxyl group of one molecule reacts with the amino group of the other molecule, releasing a molecule of water (H2O), or in other words, the bond connecting two amino acids through dehydration synthesis.
What factors can affect an enzyme's performance?
1. Temperature: When it's too cold, there is a lack of energy for the reaction to occur, so the enzyme won't function. If it's too hot, the enzyme will be denatured and won't work at all.
2. pH: Enzymes function best at various ph levels.
What kind of molecule best describes the following diagram?
A. Monosaccharide B. Amino Acid
C. Polypeptide D. Polysaccharide
C. Polysaccharide
The diagram represents a carbohydrate, so choices B and C can be eliminated. Furthermore, the diagram shows more than one carbohydrate, so choice A can be eliminated, leaving just choice D.
What are the five types of proteins discussed in class, and what are their functions.
1. Enzymes: catalyze, or lower the activation energy, of a biological process.
2. Receptor Proteins(Hormones): respond to specific messengers outside of the cell.
3. Recognition Proteins: Serve as ID tags within the body (eg. Natural Killer Cells distinguish "self" from "nonself")
4. Connection Proteins: Helps maintain the cell structure and anchors the cell membrane
5. Span the phospholipid bilayer and regulate the movement of hydrophilic molecules across the membrane.
When you hardboil an egg, the liquid part surrounding the yolk of the egg becomes white and solid. Why?
(Hint: Think about the effect temperature has on proteins and their structure)
Eggs are a source of protein, mostly albumin, so when the protein is heated to a high enough temperature, it begins to lose its structure. As a result, the secondary, tertiary, and quarternary structures begin to break down, and the protein is denatured.
Describe the difference between ionic and covalent bonds.
Ionic bonds are bonds in which a molecule transfers electrons to another molecule. Covalent bonds are bonds in which molecules share electrons with each other.
Primary: The sequence of amino acids
Secondary: The formation of alpha helices and beta sheets
Tertiary: The enzyme's overall three-dimensional structure
Quarternary: The joining of several peptide chains
Example(s): Maltase, Amylase, Lactase, Pepsin, etc.