Chemistry Basics for Biologists 3.0

Chemistry Basics for Biologists 3.0 #GoBioRams

If micro- = small

Macro- = large

If a large molecule is made up of repeating units

We call the large chain of repeating units a polymer.

The pieces that repeat in the chain are called monomers.

Carbohydrates

Used for energy.

Made up of monosaccharides monomers

Examples include: glucose, fructose, sucrose, starch, fiber, and glycogen (in muscles)

Many end with -ose.

Carbohydrates

and their impact on your health

Lipids or Fats

Used to make membranes and are made up of fatty acids.

Examples include: phospholipids, triglycerides, steroids, and cholesterol.

Lipids

and the impact on your health

Proteins

Used to build cell structures, communication, and help chemical reactions occur.

They are made of of amino acid monomers.

The bond between amino acids is called a peptide bond.

Proteins

and their impact on your health

Nucleic acids

Are inherited or passed on from generation to generation and are made up of nucleotide monomers.

Nucleotides are made up of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen-containing base.

https://ib.bioninja.com.au/standard-level/topic-2-molecular-biology/26-structure-of-dna-and-rna/nucleotides.html

Nucleic acids

Examples of nucleic acids include:

DNA - found in the cell's nucleus

RNA - many different types and small enough to leave the nucleus, where it is made

Multiple Choice

According to the video you just watched, what is the main purpose for DNA?

• It carries information to make lipids or fats.

• It carries information to make carbohydrates.

• It carries information to make proteins.

• It has no function.

Multiple Choice

DNA is stuck in the nucleus. Proteins need to be made in the cytoplasm. What chemical made in the nucleus can travel into the cytoplasm where it helps to make proteins?

• DNA

• RNA

Multiple Choice

Which molecule is larger, stuck in the nucleus of a cell, and is a double helix?

• RNA

• DNA

Multiple Select

Nucleotides are monomers that make up nucleic acids. What chemicals make up a nucleotide? Check all that apply.

• Lipids/fats

• Sugar

• Phosphate Group

• Nitrogen containing base

DNA

• Lots of it ~ 6 feet worth of it in each cell

• A double helix

• You get your DNA from your parents

• Deoxyribose sugar

• A,T,G, and C are the nitrogen-containing bases that it uses

• Stuck in the nucleus

RNA

• Many of them, but they are very small

• Single strand

• Your cells make them

• Ribose sugar

• A,U,G, and C are the nitrogen-containing bases that it uses

• Made in nucleus but leaves nucleus

Multiple Select

DNA _____. Check all that apply.

• is single stranded and small

• has deoxyribose as its sugar.

• has A,T,G, and C as its nitrogen-containing bases.

• is too big to leave the cell.

• is inherited from your parents.

Multiple Select

RNA ______. Check all that apply.

• is single stranded and small.

• contains ribose sugar.

• is inherited from your parents and cannot leave the nucleus.

• contains A, U, T, and C as its nitrogen-containing bases.

• is made in the nucleus and is small enough to leave the nucleus.

High Energy Compounds

• Think of these as the gas that runs your engine.

• ATP = A-P-P-P = Jet fuel = tri-phosphate

• ADP = A-P-P = Unleaded fuel = di-phosphate

• AMP = A-P = Diesel = mono-phosphate

A review

• Macro-molecules = big molecule

• Poly-mer = chain of many monomers

• Carbohydrates - used for energy and made up of monosaccharides, ex. glucose, fructose. and sucrose

• Lipids/Fats - used to make membranes and made up of fatty acids, ex. triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol, and steroids.

A review

• Lipids/fats can be saturated (solids at room temperature) and unsaturated (liquids at room temperature).

• Proteins - are made up of amino acids and are attached together with peptide bonds.

• Proteins can be used to build structures, help cells communicate, and help chemical reactions occur.

• Nucleic acids are made up of nucleotide monomers.

A review

• The nucleotide monomers are made up of a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogen-containing base.

• DNA and RNA are examples of nucleic acids.

• DNA - very large, stuck in the nucleus, is double-stranded, use deoxyribose as its sugar, and uses A,T,G, and C as its nitrogen-containing bases.

• DNA is inherited from your parents.

A review

• RNA is not inherited but, instead, it is made by your cells.

• RNA - is small, there are many of them, they are single-stranded, use ribose as the sugar, are made in the nucleus, can leave the nucleus, and uses A, U, T, and C as its nitrogen-containing bases.

• We will be spending a lot more time talking about DNA and RNA later on when we cover genetics.

• Lastly, we talked about the High Energy Compounds.

A review

• The maximum number of phosphates that you can have is 3.

• 3 phosphates = tri phosphate = A-P-P-P = Jet fuel = ATP

• 2 phosphates = di phosphate = A-P-P = Unleaded fuel = ADP

• 1 phosphate = mono phosphate = A-P = Diesel = AMP

Next time, we will cover the last items before our Unit 2 Test.

• We will talk about how to help chemical reactions happen.

• We will talk about exothermic or exergonic reactions.

• We will talk about endothermic or endergonic reaction.

• We will talk about catalysts, which are chemicals that can speed up chemical reactions.

Next time, we will cover the last items before our Unit 2 Test.

• We will talk about how enzymes manipulate shape to help reactions occur faster.

• We will talk about how easy it is to break down or denature enzymes.

• We will talk about how many different types of enzymes we have in our bodies.

• And we will have you do a virtual lab on enzymes.