Zusammenfassung der Ressource
A Level Biological
Molecules
- Carbohydrates
- All
Carbohydrates
contain the
elements Carbon,
Hydrogen and
Oxygen, in the
ratio of 2CH's to
1O.
- Monosaccharides are glucose,
galactose and fructose [galactose
and fructose are isomers of glucose]
they are single sugars.
- Isomer: Same molecular formula but
different structure. For example, for
monosaccharides the formula is
C₆H₁₂O₆ and the structures can be
shown in the diagram to the left
- They are
hexose sugar
as they
contain 6
carbons.
- Alpha Glucose
Structure
- OH is a hydroxyl
group.
- Disaccharides are maltose
[glucose+glucose], lactose
[glucose and galactose] and
sucrose [glucose and
fructose]. They are double
sugars and joined together by
a condensation reaction [loss
of water] and a glycosidic
bond is formed.
- The H₂O is removed
and a glycosidic bond is
formed. [In chemistry
this is called an ether
bond]
- EXAMPLE: Glucose
[C₆H₁₂O₆] +
Fructose [C₆H₁₂O₆]
= Sucrose
[C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁]
- Beta Glucose
Structure
- Polysaccharides are starch [alpha glucose],
glycogen [alpha glucose] and cellulose [beta
glucose]. They are very long chained
molecules and are insoluble, therefore they do
not affect the water potential of a cell.
- Starch is large
and insoluble,
helical in shape
so it is compact
and stores
energy.
- Glycogen is large
and insoluble,
helical and
branched in
shape so it is
compact and
stores energy.
- Cellulose is made from Beta
glucose [a flip in the hydroxyl
group], they are form long
straight chains called
microfibrils. They are linked
by hydrogen bonds which in
mass are very strong [cross
links] therefore they help
provide structural support.
- Test for
Carbohydrates
- Non-Reducing Sugar: Use
Benedict's Solution, heat
the mixture in a water
bath and add HCL and a
black-blue colour will be
present.
- Reducing Sugar:
Use Benedict's
Solution, heat the
mixture in a
water bath and a
red-brown
colour will be
present.
- Proteins
- What makes each
individual amino
acid different is the
R Group.
- Amino
Group
- Carboxylic
Acid
- Variable
Group [R]
- Amino Acids are joined
together by a
condensation reaction.
- Proteins have 4
structural levels:
- Primary Structure is the
sequence of amino acids which
determines how it folds. It
contains peptide bonds between
amino acids. It looks like a chain
essentially.
- Secondary Structure is the basic
level of folding held together by
hydrogen bonds, a Beta (β)
pleated sheet or an alpha (α) helix
is formed.
- Tertiary Structure is the
overall globular structure
formed from the polypeptide
they contain hydrogen and
disulphide bonds. E.g. Enzymes
- Quarternary structure is more
than one tertiary structure
attached together. They are also
insoluble and have structural or
storage roles. E.g. Collagen,
Insulin, and Haemoglobin
- Proteins have a variety
of functions, including
enzymes, antibodies,
transport proteins and
structural proteins.
- You conduct a Biuret Test
for proteins. Add a few
drops of biuret reagent to
the solution, if peptide
bonds [protein] the
solution will turn purple
or lilac.
- Lipids
- Triglycerides have
one molecule of
glycerol and three
fatty acids [made
from hydrocarbons].
- Triglycerides are
formed by
condensation
reactions when fatty
acids bond with a
glycerol molecule
water [H₂O] is
produced and an ester
bond.
- They are mainly used as
energy storage molecules and
are insoluble so they don't
affect water potential.
- Fatty acids can
be unsaturated
and saturated.
- Unsaturated have at least
one double bond between
carbon atoms which
causes the chain to kink.
They are liquid at room
temperature.
- Saturated have no double bonds
between carbon atoms, they are
saturated with hydrogen atoms.
They form straight lines and are
solid at room temperature.
- Phospholipids have a
phosphate head, a
glycerol molecule and
two fatty acids.
- The phosphate group
is hydrophillic and the
fatty acid 'tails' are
hydrophobic, they
make up the
phospholipid bi-layer.
- The centre is hydrophobic so water-soluble
substances can't easily pass through it.
- The emulsion test is used
for lipids, grind or crush
the substance, adding
ethanol to the solution and
shaking then adding
distilled water and a
cloudy white precipitate
should be formed.
- Introduction
- Monomer - small unit
from which larger
molecules are made
E.g.
Monosaccharides,
amino acids and
nucleotides.
- Polymer - are
molecules made
from a large
number of
monomers joined
together.