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Importance of Sugars, Proteins, and Nucleic Acids in Biology

Explore the significance of sugars, proteins, and nucleic acids as essential building blocks in biological systems. Learn about their structures, functions, and roles in storing energy, providing structural support, and facilitating reactions in living organisms.

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Importance of Sugars, Proteins, and Nucleic Acids in Biology

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  1. ASTR/GEOL-2040: Search for life in the Universe, Lecture 4 Ad69 6 Pages 6-10 in RGS Page 169 of BS Axel Brandenburg (Office hours: Mondays 2:30 – 3:30 in X590 and Wednesdays 11-12 in D230)

  2. Cells are made of lipids carboxyl group hydrophylic  amphobic hydrophobic

  3. Common carbon compounds • carbohydrates • hydrocarbons

  4. Sugars are • Hydrocarbons • Carbohydrates • Hydroxyls • Carboxyls

  5. Sugars are • Hydrocarbons • Carbohydrates • Hydroxyls • Carboxyls

  6. Common carbon compounds • Hydrocarbons: made up entirely of hydrogen & carbon CH3-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH3 • Carbohydrates: made up of hydrogen, carbon, & oxygen Cm(H2O)n H-C-OH H-C-OH H-C-OH

  7. Glucose • Glucose=hexose=monosaccharide = C6H12O6 chemists drop C & H

  8. Another important sugar • Ribose = pentose = C5H10O5 • deoxyribose=C5H10O4 again: drop C & H …note 3-D perspective

  9. Why are sugars useful? • ...... • ........... • ................  think of carbohydrates more generally

  10. Why are carbohydrates useful? • Energy storage • Structural support • Food source for others

  11. Two more building blocks • Proteins • RNA & DNA: nuclei acids https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_dogma_of_molecular_biology

  12. What are proteins? • Proteios = primary • Berzelius (1838) C400H620N100O120P1S1 • Are the most complex macromolecules in living systems • Polymers of amino acids • ”peptides” are shorter polymers

  13. What are amino acids? • amino: -NH2 • acid: -COOH • and a C • and an H • and possibly another H NH2 H-C-H COOH

  14. Polymerization  polycondensation NH2 NH2 CH2 CH2 carboxyl group COOH CO “peptide bond” NH NH2 amino group CH2 CH2 COOH COOH glycine dipeptide

  15. Other amino acids • if R=CH3: alanine • valine, proline, sarcosine, ...

  16. Recognize 3 of the 4 endings? • COOH carboxyl group • OH hydroxyl group • CH3 methyl group • NH2 amino group (=amine group)

  17. Why are proteins important? • Structural support (e.g., finger nails) • Act as catalysts (=enzymes) • Facilitates/accelerates reactions • Not used up or involved in reaction • Can be reused many times! • Their exact role depends on sequence

  18. So many different ones • Only 20 amino acids in proteins • Although 70 have been identified • 2 (+) of them used in rare cases microbes • Folding • Depends on amino acid sequence • Determines how they work.

  19. Finally: nucleic acids

  20. Inventory • Polymers of nucleotides • Backbone • DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) • or RNA (ribonucleic acid) • Pentose sugar (5 carbons) • Phosphate group • Nitrogen-containing base • four different ones • Form a spiral

  21. Inventory • Backbone • deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid • Pentose sugar (5 carbons) • Phosphate group • Nitrogen-containing base

  22. Different bases • Two groups of bases: • pyrimidines T,C • purines A,G • These two groups pair in specific ways • T-A and A-T • C-G and G-C

  23. In which ways could life elsewhere be different? • Different backbones • Different base pairs

  24. An enzyme consists of a chain of • Carbohydrates • Amino acids • nucleotides

  25. Two more bases synthesized in 2014

  26. Think about other worlds • Large impacts can blast rocks into space • Life (spores) might survive in rocks • Suppose life on Mars is found with • Different sets of amino acids • Right-handed versions of amino acids • Does this support/contradict hypothesis that life migrated from Mars?

  27. What we talked about • The 4 different building blocks • Lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids • Their usefulness • Next time • How they propagrate genetic information • Genetic code • Biomarkers, biosignatures • pp. 11-17 of RGS

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