Biochemistry

Chemistry of Life

All living things are made of Carbon

Organic Chemistry- branch of chemistry devoted to studying carbon and the bonds Carbon makes

Organic Compound- contains carbon covalently bonded to other atoms

Why Carbon?

4 Valence e- means 4 different bonds

Carbon can bond with itself (single, double,or triple)

Can form different shapes when bonding

Shapes give C ability to form millions of different

combinations

Carbon Molecules

Monomer- basic building block, single molecule that can bond to each other

Polymer- many monomers linked together

Macromolecule- “giant molecule”; many polymers linked together

How large molecules are formed

Condensation Reactions- reaction used to link monomers together– In the process, also

makes a water molecule

Large to small

Hydrolysis- breaks off monomers from large polymer– One water molecule

is needed for every piece broken off

– Exact opposite of Condensation reactions

Macromolecules of Life

Carbohydrates

Lipids

Proteins

Nucleic Acids

Carbohydrates

Function- main energy source

Made of- Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen– Found in 1:2:1 ratio– Example-

6C:12H:6O

Categories of Carbs

Monosaccharide- the monomer of carbohydrates; simple sugar– Example- glucose,

fructose

Isomer- two molecules having the same formula, but are shaped differently

Disaccharide- two monomers linked together; double sugar– Example- sucrose

Polysaccharide- many monomers linked together– Example- starch,

cellulose

Lipids

Function- energy storage

Made of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen

Large, nonpolar molecules that do not dissolve in water

Most common Lipid

Fatty Acid- unbranched carbon chain– Has two different ends

• One end loves water- hydrophilic• One end hates (fears) water- hydrophobic

Water lovingend

Water fearingend

Types of Lipids

1. Triglyceride- molecule made of 3 fatty acids and 1 glycerol

– Hear a lot with levels in blood

2. Phospholipid- molecule made of 2 fatty acids, a phosphate group, and a glycerol– Used to make

membranes

3. Wax- type of structural lipid, long fatty acid chain joined with alcohol4. Steroids- molecule containing 4 fused carbon rings with different functional groups attached

Chloresterol

Proteins

Function- involved with all cell functions; individual function depends on type of protein

Made of- Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Nitrogen

There are 5 different categories of proteins

Function of each type is based on structure

Building Blocks of Proteins

Amino acid- name of the 20 different types of monomers used to build proteins

Peptide bond- name of bond holding together two amino acids

Dipeptide- two amino acids linked together

Polypeptide- many amino acids linked together

Nucleic Acids

Function- store and transmit genetic information

Made of- Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Phosphorus– Very large, complex

molecule

Forms

Two Major Types of Nucleic Acids– DNA-

deoxyribonucleic acid

– RNA- ribonucleic acid

Building block (monomer) for Nucleic acids- Nucleotide

Nucleotide- made of sugar, phosphate, and base

Nucleotides

DNA Nucleotides- has four different nucleotides (A,T,C,G)

RNA Nucleotides- has four different nucleotides (A,U,C,G)