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The Chemistry of Life: Organic Molecules
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- Life is based on carbon;
organic chemistry studies compounds in which carbon is a central element.
- The properties of carbon make it the backbone of the organic molecules which form living matter.
- Carbon is a such a versatile element because it
can form four covalent bonds.
- Carbon
skeletons can vary in length, branching, and
ring structure.
- The functional
groups of organic molecules are the parts involved
in chemical reactions.
- Organic molecules important for life include relatively small monomers as well as large polymers.
- Carbon is a such a versatile element because it
can form four covalent bonds.
Which Organic Molecules Are Important for Life?
- Carbohydrates are
a class of important organic molecules that provide energy and structure.
- Sugars are
the building blocks of carbohydrates.
- There are 4 types of complex
carbohydrates found in animals or plants.
- Sugars are
the building blocks of carbohydrates.
- Lipids are
a large class of hydrophobic organic molecules.
- Triglycerides (typically
called fats) are made of glycerol plus fatty acids; saturated
fats have been linked to heart disease.
- Phospholipids contain
a polar group and are amphipathic; they form cellular membranes.
- Steroids have a characteristic ringed
structure; they include cholesterol and sex hormones.
- Triglycerides (typically
called fats) are made of glycerol plus fatty acids; saturated
fats have been linked to heart disease.
- Proteins are
crucial to life and perform a wide range
of functions.
- Amino
acids are the building blocks of polypeptide
chains which fold to
form proteins.
- Shape is critical for protein function and creates specific regions called domains; a protein
that is denatured loses its domains and the ability to function.
- Protein denaturation causes proteins to unfold and clump in a random configuration; understanding the denaturation process helps in understanding the structure of intact proteins.
- Proteins can combine with other macromolecules to form
lipoproteins and glycoproteins.
- Amino
acids are the building blocks of polypeptide
chains which fold to
form proteins.
- Nucleic acids are the primary information-bearing molecules
of life.
- Nucleotides,
the building blocks of nucleic acids, are also important
as energy carriers.
- The nucleic acid DNA is composed of two chains of nucleotides in a helical structure; RNA is a similar nucleic acid of equal importance.
- Nucleotides,
the building blocks of nucleic acids, are also important
as energy carriers.