Cell Chemistry

1. Cell Chemistry

2. Water • Why is water so important to our understanding of cell chemistry? • abundance • polar nature

3. Water • How does its polar nature affect the properties of this molecule? • cohesive • high surface tension • high specific heat, heat of vaporization

4. Water • Why is water such a good solvent?

5. Water • What kinds of cellular reactions involve water? • hydrolytic cleavages • dehydration synthesis • light reactions of photosynthesis

6. Carbon Containing Molecules • Why are carbon containing molecules so prevalent in cells?

7. Carbon Containing Molecules • What accounts for the stability of carbon containing molecules?

8. Carbon Containing Molecules • What are some of the common functional groups found in biological molecules?

9. Macromolecules • From what are the most important biological polymers constructed?

10. Macromolecules

11. Macromolecules • Why would a molecule be classified as informational? structural? storage?

12. Macromolecules • What is involved in the synthesis of macromolecules?

13. Macromolecules • What is meant by self-assembly?

14. Macromolecules • What is the role of a molecular chaperone?

15. Proteins • Where in the cell are proteins found and what are some of their functions?

16. Proteins • What do all amino acids have in common?

17. Proteins • What distinguishes a specific amino acid?

18. Proteins

19. Proteins • How does a peptide bond form?

20. Proteins • What is the difference between a polypeptide and a protein? • How is a monomeric protein different from a multimeric protein?

21. Proteins • What kinds of bonds are involved in the folding of proteins?

22. Proteins • What do we mean by the primary structure of a protein?

23. Proteins – secondary structure

24. Proteins • What is the difference between the α-helix and the β-pleated sheet?

25. Proteins • What are motifs?

26. Proteins • How does tertiary structure compare with secondary structure

27. Proteins • What are some of the non-covalent interactions that determine the tertiary structure?

28. Proteins • What is the difference between a globular and a fibrous protein?

29. Proteins • What are domains?

30. Proteins • Do all proteins have quaternary structure?

31. Nucleic Acids • How is DNA different from RNA both structurally and functionally?

32. Nucleic Acids • What is a nucleotide? What role(s) does it play in the cell?

33. Nucleic Acids • What makes nucleotides different from each other?

34. Nucleic Acids • How are nucleotides joined to form DNA and RNA?

35. Nucleic Acids • What are some of the important features of the DNA molecule?

36. Polysaccharides • What are polysaccharides and how are they different from proteins or nucleic acids?

37. Polysaccharides • What are monosaccharides and how do we classify them?

38. Polysaccharides • How are disaccharides formed?

39. Polysaccharides • What are some of the functions of polysaccharides in cells?

40. Lipids • How are lipids different from proteins, nucleic acids and polysaccharides? • What do all lipids have in common?

41. Lipids • What are some of the different kinds of lipids?

43. Lipids • Why are fatty acids considered amphipathic? • What’s the difference between a saturated and an unsaturated fatty acid?

44. Lipids • Why are the properties of cell membranes so dependent upon the structure of phospholipids?

45. Lipids