Understanding Carbon Compounds and Macromolecules in Biochemistry

1. Chapter 3: Biochemistry

2. Section 1- Carbon Compounds • All compounds can be classified into two categories: • Organic compounds: made primarily of carbon atoms • Inorganic compounds: do not contain carbon atoms (with a few exceptions)

3. Carbon Bonding • Carbon has four electrons in its outermost energy level • Remember: atoms want to have 8 total electrons in its outer shell • Carbon, has four spots for electrons open, and can therefore make up to four covalent bonds with other atoms

4. Carbon Bonding • Carbon can also bond to other carbon atoms • Straight carbon chains • Branched carbon chain • Carbon Ring

5. Carbon Bonding • In chemistry, a line between two atoms represents a covalent bond formed when the two atoms share a pair of electrons • A bond formed when two atoms share one pair of electrons is called a single bond

6. Carbon Bonding • Atoms can also share multiple pairs of electrons • Double bond: represented by two parallel lines, occurs when atoms share two pairs of electrons • Triple bond: represented by three parallel lines, occurs when three pairs of electrons are shared

7. Types of Bonding

8. Functional Groups • In organic compounds, functional groups influence the characteristics of the molecules they compose and the chemical reactions the molecules undergo

9. Functional Groups • Example: -OH (Hydroxyl group) • Important to many living things • Can make the molecule its attached to polar • Polar molecules are hydrophilic, or soluble in water

10. Large Carbon Molecules • Many organic compounds are comprised of smaller, simpler molecules called monomers • Multiple monomers can bond together and form polymers • Polymers: molecules that consist of repeated, linked units. • Large polymers are called macromolecules

11. Large Carbon Molecules • There are many different types of macromolecules • Carbohydrates • Lipids • Proteins • Nucleic Acids

12. Macromolecules

13. Large Carbon Molecules • Monomers link to form polymers through a chemical reaction known as a condensation reaction • When monomers are added to a polymer a water molecule is released

14. Large Carbon Molecules • Living organisms also have to break down polymers • The process of breaking down polymers into smaller pieces is known as hydrolysis • Water is used to break down the polymer • Hydrolysis is the reverse of a condensation reaction

15. Energy Currency • Life processes require a constant supply of energy • The energy required for these processes comes in the form of compounds that store large amounts of energy in their structure • One such compound is adenosine triphosphate, also known as ATP

16. Energy Currency • Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) • 5 carbon sugar • Nitrogen compound (adenine) • Phosphate groups

17. Energy Currency • ATP stores a lot of energy • Energy is released when the phosphate groups break their covalent bonds • Hydrolysis of ATP is used by the cell to provide the energy needed to power the chemical reactions needed by organisms to function

18. Hydrolysis of ATP