Carbohydrates
A single sugar unit is called this
What is a monosaccharide?
This macromolecule class is mostly hydrophobic and does NOT form true polymers.
Proteins are polymers made from these monomers.
What are Amino acids?
What level of protein structure is simply the amino acid sequence?
What is Primary structure
This reaction builds polymers and releases water.
What is Condensation (dehydration synthesis)
The type of bond holds sugar monomers together in polysaccharides
What is a glycosidic bond/linkage?
What term describes molecules with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions?
What is amphipathic?
What bond links amino acids together?
What is a peptide bond?
Which two types of secondary structures exist, and what bond holds them together?
What are Alpha helices and beta sheets; hydrogen bonds
This reaction breaks polymers and requires water.
What is Hydrolysis
Starch and cellulose are both made of glucose, but differ because of this structural difference
Alpha vs. beta orientation of a hydroxyl group
Name the bond that holds fatty acids to glycerol in triglycerides.
What are ester bonds?
What are the three major chemical categories of amino acid R groups?
What is polar, nonpolar, charged
Which level of protein structure is held together by R-group interactions?
What is Tertiary structure?
Why are monomers considered important even when they are not part of a polymer?
(what is)bThey can have independent functions, such as simple sugars providing energy
Which polysaccharide is used for energy storage in plants, and which is used for structure?
Storage: starch; Structural: cellulose
Explain how saturated vs. unsaturated fatty acids affect whether a fat is solid or liquid.
(what is) Saturated fats pack tightly → solid; unsaturated fats have kinks → liquid
Why can some amino acid substitutions occur without changing protein function?
(What is) Similar R-group chemistry can preserve folding and function
Why do hydrophobic amino acids tend to move to the center of a protein?
(What is) Hydrophobic interactions minimize contact with water
Why does breaking a polymer generally release energy?
(what is) Breaking bonds releases energy stored in the polymer
Why can humans digest starch but not cellulose, even though both are made of glucose?
Humans lack enzymes to break beta glycosidic bonds in cellulose
Why do phospholipids form membranes spontaneously in water without energy input?
(what is) Hydrophilic heads interact with water; hydrophobic tails interact with each other
Describe how directionality is created in proteins and name the two termini.
(what is) Amino to carboxyl direction; N-terminus and C-terminus
Why do many proteins NOT require quaternary structure to function?
(what is) Some proteins function as a single folded polypeptide
Explain how changes in temperature and pH lead to protein denaturation.
Heat disrupts hydrogen bonds; pH disrupts ionic bonds, causing loss of structure