BiochemistryUnit 2

Carbon Based Molecules All living things are made up of a collection

of atoms and molecules that work together to support life

Nearly all living things on planet Earth are supported by one atom, an atom of Carbon

There are Four primary Carbon Based Molecules supporting all life on our planet:› Carbohydrates ~ sugars› Lipids ~ fats› Proteins ~ amino acid chain (polypeptide)› Nucleic acids ~ DNA, RNA, & ATP

Carbon Based Molecules Carbon based molecules can be

small and they can be very large. The smallest are called

monomers and usually consist of one carbon ring or molecule

Larger carbon based molecules are made up of many monomers to form a polymer› Mono = one› Poly = many

Carbon Based Molecules Carbohydrates as carbon based

molecules› Also known as “sugars”› Made up of three elements:

Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen

› A couple of the simplest carbohydrates are fructose and glucose These are single carbon ring molecules that

provide energy for cellular respiration

Carbohydrates can be a simple sugar like Glucose or many Glucose monomers linked together

A Disaccharide is a sugar that has two Glucose monomers › The most common

disaccharide is sucrose

Carbon Based Molecules

Polysaccharides are many Glucose monomers linked together

Starch ~ a polysaccharide sugar made by plants to store energy

Cellulose ~ a polysaccharide made by plants to form cell walls

Glycogen ~ a polysaccharide made by animals to store sugar for energy (usually in the liver)

Carbon Based Molecules

Good Carbs & Bad Carbs

Lipids are an important carbon based molecule that can be broken down into energy for the cell and function as part of the cell’s structure

They include fats, oils, and cholesterol

They are non-polar and repel polar substances like water

Carbon Based Molecules

Lipids store a huge amount of energy in their fatty-acid tails

A lipid is saturated if the Carbon chain is loaded with Hydrogen atoms

A lipid is unsaturated if there are a few or more double bonds between Carbons making it “kink”

Carbon Based Molecules

Proteins are another important carbon-based molecule made up of several dozen to thousands of amino acids

An amino acid chain is also known as a polypeptide chain because of its many peptide bonds holding the amino acids together

Carbon Based Molecules

Nucleic acids are the fourth Carbon based molecule

They are all made up of monomers called nucleotides

DNA, RNA, and ATP are nucleic acids that are found in all living organisms› ATP pictured here has 3

phosphates bonded to a 5-Carbon sugar and a Nitrogen base

Carbon Based Molecules

Carbon Based Molecules

Enzymes the special protein An enzyme is a protein polymer that is made

up of many amino acid monomers Cells use enzymes to catalyze biochemical

reactions› To “make them happen”› To “speed up reactions”

An enzyme has a unique 3-dimensional shape that defines the role/job that it performs

An enzymes shape is maintained by being in the right temperature, pH (acidity), and ionic conditions

Chemical ReactionsReactants Products

› Water + Carbon Dioxide Glucose + Oxygen + Water

Activation energy is the “energy required to start a chemical reaction”› Think of pushing a ball to the top of a small hill

so that it can roll down a very steep slope on the other side

› The energy it took to push the ball to the top of the hill is the activation energy

Enzymes often lower activation energies

Enzymes the special protein

When enzymes are present, the breakdown of Glucose happens easier

Enzymes the special protein

An enzyme protein has an active site where a substrate molecule attaches

This makes it possible for a chemical reaction to occur and the enzyme acts as a catalyst

Enzymes the special protein

Enzymes are often referred to as having a “lock and key” model

Enzymes are affected by temperature and as temp. increases, enzyme activity increases

Enzymes the special protein