The Chemistry of Life

1. The Chemistry of Life

2. Water Properties of water • Polar~ opposite ends, opposite charges • Cohesion~ water sticks to water • Adhesion~ water sticks to something else • Capillary Action ~ Cohesion PLUS Adhesion… how water moves UP a plant

3. Surface tension • (high) Specific heat • (high) Heat of vaporization • Density: Ice is LESS DENSE than liquid water… why ice floats! Due to H bonding

5. Organic Compounds • Contain CARBON • In science terms, organic means carbon-containing • Are POLYMERS* • Polymers are composed of monomers • *Lipids are not polymers… are not composed of monomers.

6. Polymer • Mono = one • Poly = many • Polymers are to macaroni necklaces as monomers are to macaroni polymer monomer

7. Huh? • Carbs, Proteins, and Nucleic Acids are all made up of repeating subunits. • Lipids are a special case

8. Carbohydrates • Examples: • Sugars (simple carbs) and starches (complex carbs) • Glucose, fructose, sucrose, ribose, deoxyribose, cellulose, potatoes, pastas, glycogen (how animals store energy)

9. Carbohydrates • structure = Rings or long chains of rings

10. Carbohydrates • Elements: • Carbon, Hydrogen ,Oxygen – CHO • H:O ratio = 2:1 • For every 2 H’s, there is one O • Glucose = C6H12O6… 12:6 = 2:1 • Cellulose = (C6H10O5)n… 10:5 = 2:1

11. Carbohydrates • Monomer: monosaccharide • Mono = ONE • Di = TWO • Poly = MANY • Sucrose is a disaccharide made of glucose PLUS fructose • Cellulose is a polysaccharide made of up to 10,000 connected D-glucose molecules

12. Carbohydrates • FUNCTION: quick energy • Sugars = simple  very quick energy • Ex: OJ if blood sugar is low • Starches = complex carbohydrate  takes longer for body to break down… longer term energy source • Ex: Before a football game, eat pasta or cereal

13. Lipids • Examples: Fats, oils, waxes, steroids, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, K, E), triglycerides, cholesterol • Butter, olive oil, cell membranes (phospholipids)

14. Lipids • Structure: 2 or 3 long H-C tails

15. Lipids • Elements: CHO • Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen • H:O ratio is >2:1 • Ex: Vitamin E (tocopherol) = C29H50O2 so the H:O ratio = 50:2 = 25:1 which is GREATER THAN 2:1

16. Lipids • Monomer: Not Applicable (N/A) • Most lipids have a glycerol or carboxylic acid “head” and fatty acid “tails”… so they all more or less look alike, but no official monomer.

17. Lipids • Function: Long term energy storage • Ex: The human body converts excess glucose (sugar) into fat. What’s wrong with this picture?

18. Carbs vs. Lipids • BOTH have CHO • BOTH store energy • Carbs: quick energy • Lipids: long term energy  storage • Excess carbs get turned into fat for storage • How can you differentiate between carbs and lipids??? H:O RATIO MOLECULAR STRUCTURE

19. Carbohydrate or Lipid? • Formula: C18H34O2 Lipid: Oleic Acid

20. Carbohydrate or Lipid? • Formula = C12H22O11 Carb: Sucrose (table sugar)

21. Carbohydrate or Lipid? • Formula: C27H46O Lipid: Cholesterol

22. Carbohydrate or Lipid? • Formula: C12H24O2 Lipid: Lauric Acid

23. Carbohydrate or Lipid? • Formula: C6H10O5 Carb: Starch

24. Proteins • Examples: Insulin, keratin, casein, ENZYMES (catalase, amylase, lactase…) • Found in meats, dairy products, eggs, and some plants (nuts, lentils, and legumes such as beans, peas, soy…)

25. Proteins • Structure: complex chain of linked amino acids (peptide bond links AA’s) • polypeptide = precursor to protein

26. Proteins • Elements: CHON (sometimes S) • Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, NITROGEN (complex proteins have disulfide bridges… hence Sulfur) • H:O ratio – N/A

27. Proteins • Monomer: AMINO ACIDS • A long chain of AA’s = a polypeptide… why? • Peptide bonds connect AA’s • Proteins are just folded polypeptides • Proteins are made of… AMINO ACIDS!

28. 20 essential amino acids

29. AA’s connected by peptide bond

30. Proteins • Function: structure(actin, chitin), catalyzing reactions (enzymes lower activation energy), repair and maintenance

31. Nucleic Acids • Examples: DNA, RNA (tRNA, mRNA, rRNA)… NA stands for Nucleic Acid • Found in ALL LIVING THINGS!! • In the NUCLEUS of eukaryotes (protists, fungi, plants, animals) • Free-floating in prokaryotes (bacteria)

32. Nucleic Acids • Structure: single stranded (RNA) or double stranded (DNA) • DNA: ATCG • RNA: AUCG

33. Nucleic Acids • Elements: CHONP • Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, PHOSPHORUS • H:O ratio: N/A

34. Nucleic Acids • Monomer: Nucleotide • Nucleotide = phosphate group, nitrogen base, 5-carbon sugar • Phosphate group : P • Nitrogen base: N • A, T, C, G, U (RNA only) • 5 Carbon sugar: CHO • Sugar is a carb… CHO • Deoxyribose or ribose

35. Nucleic Acids • Function: Heredity • Stores ALL genetic information • Codes for proteins responsible for expressed traits

36. Carb, Lipid, Protein, or Nucleic Acid? • Provides rigid structure for plant cells • Made of long chain of monosaccharides Carbohydrate (cellulose)

37. Carb, Lipid, Protein, or Nucleic Acid? • Genes are made of this • Long, complex molecule containing CHONP NUCLEIC ACID (DNA)

38. Carb, Lipid, Protein, or Nucleic Acid? • Main component of cell membranes LIPID (phospholipid)

39. Carb, Lipid, Protein, or Nucleic Acid? • Monomer: nucleotide Nucleic Acid (tRNA)

40. Carb, Lipid, Protein, or Nucleic Acid? • Amino Acids are connected by peptide bonds • This macromolecule is HUGE and complex Protein

41. Carb, Lipid, Protein, or Nucleic Acid? • Simple ones end in –ose • Complex ones are broken down to simple ones to power cellular respiration (and make ATP) • That’s why you eat!!! Carbohydrate

42. Carb, Lipid, Protein, or Nucleic Acid? • Elements: CHO • H:O ratio is >2:1 LIPID

43. Enzymes • Enzymes are • PROTEINS • Biological catalysts • Speed up chemical reactions by lowering activation energy • Substrate-specific (like a lock and a key) • Reusable • Ends in –ase • Affected by temperature and pH

44. Enzymes • Proteins

45. Enzymes • Speed up rxns (catalyze rxns) by lowering activation energy • Higher concentration of enzyme = faster reaction

46. Enzymes • Substrate-specific (like a lock and key) • Reusable • End in -ase

47. Crash Course • Biomolecules