What’s so special about water?

1. Water, pH and Biological Molecules What’s so special about water? It’s a great solvent. It hold’s tons of heat. It has high surface tension. Its less dense as a solid than a liquid.

2. For Polar Molecules, Water Is a Wonderful Solvent Dissolving table salt (sodium chloride)

3. Forecasts for San Diego and Gallup, 1/11/06 – 1/15/06 Water Holds Immense Amounts of Heat Water’s high heat capacity has profound effects on climate and ecology.

4. High surface tension allows long water columns to be drawn from roots to leaves – even in a redwood. Water Has High Surface Tension

5. This means that ice forms an insulating blanket over water. Water Is Lighter as Solid than as a Liquid

6. pH Matters pH is a measure of proton (hydrogen ion or H+) concentration . Low pH = lots of H+s, high pH = few H+s. In biology, keeping H+ levels within a narrow range is critically important.

7. An acid produces H+ A base absorbs H+ Acids and Bases

8. Carbon’s Cool Carbon is the central atom of life. Because carbon contains 4 electrons in its outer shell, it can pair in many ways with many different atoms in an “attempt” to fill its outer shell.

9. glucose amino acids fat Carbon is the Central Atom of Life.

10. Some Useful Nomenclature Learn to recognize these chemical groups.

11. Some major types of biological molecules. In Biology, Molecular Shape Matters Its not just chemical formula, it’s the shape of the molecule that lets it do its “job”. Never forget the axiom – structure dictates function.

12. use these four major classes of biological molecules. Molecules of Life How do you build a cell? Start with water, add lots of small carbon-containing molecules and …….

13. Monomers, Polymers and Macromolecules Many biological molecules are macromolecules – huge assemblies of atoms. Biological macromolecules are formed by linking together a set of building blocks (monomers) into long chains (a polymer).

14. Carbohydrates Three views of glucose, a common simple sugar. Carbohydrates are used for energy and to create structures. The building blocks for carbohydrates are simple sugars.

15. Linking Simple Sugars – the First Step to a Polymer monosaccharides a disaccharide A complex carbohydrate is a long-chain polymer made of simple sugars.

16. Some Familiar and Important Complex Carbohydrates Note the way complex macromolecule are built by linking simple repeating units.

17. Carbohydrates are Central Players in Energy Production and Storage

18. Complex Carbohydrates Are Often Used to Create Structures Cellulose is the most abundant macromolecule on earth – and you’re probably wearing it now.

19. Sterol Phospholipid Fat Lipids are Hydrophobic Molecules That Exist In Three Primary Forms

20. Space-filling model of a fat A fatty acid Fats Are Made By Linking Fatty Acid Chains to Glycerol, a Three Carbon Molecule

21. Molecular Structure of a Fat

22. Fats are Used in Energy Storage and Production

23. Where are the double bonds? The Degree Of Saturation In A Fat Affects Its Physical And Health Properties

24. all cis polyunsaturated “Good” Omega-3-fatty acids mono- and poly-unsaturated saturated trans “Bad” Cis and Trans Unsaturated Fats

25. The new line showing levels of trans fat At a Store Near You Beginning January 1, 2006, the FDA required that the amount of trans fat be listed on all food labels.

26. Note the four ring structure common to all sterols. Sterols Sterols are: 1) essential membrane components and 2) form many hormones.

27. Sterols As Hormones Estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and corticosteriods (cortisol) are all steroid hormones.

28. A heavily muscled Linford Christie who was disqualified from international competition after testing positive for a banned steroid. Sterols As Hormones “Designer steroids” are major sporting news where they have been used illegally in track and field, baseball, football and countless other sports.

29. Phospholipids are Building Blocks of Cellular Membranes The hydrophilic head group and hydrophobic tails are the keys to phospholipid function. Phospholipids have a molecular Jekyll and Hyde split personality.

30. Hydrophilic Head Group And Hydrophobic Tails Are The Keys To Phospholipid Function

31. Phospholipids Form Double-Layered Biological Membranes

32. Protein Proteins are THE key elements of life. Forget DNA, proteins rule. Remember the principle - structure determines function. Since proteins are the key players of the cell, it follows that protein structure determines cell function.

33. Some of the Diverse Functions of Proteins

34. Strands of the Protein Keratin Create Hair

35. Proteins are Linear Chains of Linked Amino Acids

36. A Common Thread and a Unique Identity

37. Peptide bonds Amino Acids, Peptide Bonds, Polypeptides, Protein Proteins are linear chains of 20 different building blocks called amino acids. Amino acids are linked by peptide bonds – a form of covalent bond.

38. Proteins are Folded Structures Whose Shape (and therefore function) Depends on Amino Acid Sequence

39. Nucleic Acids There are two kinds of nucleic acids, DNA and RNA. Both are involved in the storage and flow of information from gene to gene product. Recently, we’ve learned that RNA also plays important regulatory roles. DNA

40. Nucleotides Are the Monomers That Create Polymers of DNA and RNA

41. ATP, the cell’s primary energy currency. Nucleotides are Important in Their Own Right Nucleotides fuel the cell and coordinate its metabolism.