Cell ChemistryCell Chemistry

WaterWater

• Why is water so Why is water so important to our important to our understanding of understanding of cell chemistry?cell chemistry?– abundanceabundance– polar naturepolar nature

WaterWater

• How does its polar How does its polar nature affect the nature affect the properties of this properties of this molecule?molecule?– cohesivecohesive– high surface tensionhigh surface tension– high specific heat, high specific heat,

heat of vaporizationheat of vaporization

WaterWater

• Why is water such a good solvent?Why is water such a good solvent?

WaterWater

• What kinds of cellular reactions What kinds of cellular reactions involve water?involve water?– hydrolytic cleavageshydrolytic cleavages– dehydration synthesisdehydration synthesis– light reactions of photosynthesislight reactions of photosynthesis

Carbon Containing Carbon Containing MoleculesMolecules• Why are carbon Why are carbon

containing containing molecules so molecules so prevalent in cells?prevalent in cells?

Carbon Containing Carbon Containing MoleculesMolecules• What accounts for the stability of carbon What accounts for the stability of carbon

containing molecules?containing molecules?

Carbon Containing Carbon Containing MoleculesMolecules• What are some of the common functional What are some of the common functional

groups found in biological molecules?groups found in biological molecules?

MacromoleculesMacromolecules

• From what are the most important From what are the most important biological polymers constructed?biological polymers constructed?

MacromoleculesMacromolecules

MacromoleculesMacromolecules

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

MacromoleculesMacromolecules

• What is involved in the synthesis of What is involved in the synthesis of macromolecules?macromolecules?

MacromoleculesMacromolecules

• What is meant by self-assembly?What is meant by self-assembly?

MacromoleculesMacromolecules

• What is the role of a molecular What is the role of a molecular chaperone?chaperone?

ProteinsProteins

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

ProteinsProteins

• What do all amino acids have in common?What do all amino acids have in common?

ProteinsProteins

• What distinguishes a specific amino acid? What distinguishes a specific amino acid?

ProteinsProteins

ProteinsProteins

• How does a How does a peptide bond form?peptide bond form?

ProteinsProteins

• What is the difference between a What is the difference between a polypeptide and a protein?polypeptide and a protein?

• How is a monomeric protein different How is a monomeric protein different from a multimeric protein?from a multimeric protein?

ProteinsProteins

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

ProteinsProteins

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

Proteins – secondary Proteins – secondary structurestructure

ProteinsProteins

• What is the What is the difference between difference between the the αα-helix and the -helix and the ββ-pleated sheet?-pleated sheet?

ProteinsProteins

• What are motifs?What are motifs?

ProteinsProteins

• How does tertiary structure compare How does tertiary structure compare with secondary structurewith secondary structure

ProteinsProteins

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

ProteinsProteins

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

ProteinsProteins

• What are domains?What are domains?

ProteinsProteins

• Do all proteins Do all proteins have quaternary have quaternary structure?structure?

Nucleic AcidsNucleic Acids

• How is DNA different from RNA both How is DNA different from RNA both structurally and functionally?structurally and functionally?

Nucleic AcidsNucleic Acids

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

Nucleic AcidsNucleic Acids

• What makes nucleotides different from What makes nucleotides different from each other?each other?

Nucleic AcidsNucleic Acids

• How are nucleotides joined to form DNA How are nucleotides joined to form DNA and RNA?and RNA?

Nucleic AcidsNucleic Acids

• What are some of What are some of the important the important features of the features of the DNA molecule?DNA molecule?

PolysaccharidesPolysaccharides

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

PolysaccharidesPolysaccharides

• What are monosaccharides and how do we What are monosaccharides and how do we classify them?classify them?

PolysaccharidesPolysaccharides

• How are How are disaccharides disaccharides formed?formed?

PolysaccharidesPolysaccharides

• What are some of the functions of What are some of the functions of polysaccharides in cells?polysaccharides in cells?

LipidsLipids

• How are lipids different from How are lipids different from proteins, nucleic acids and proteins, nucleic acids and polysaccharides?polysaccharides?

• What do all lipids have in common?What do all lipids have in common?

LipidsLipids

• What are some of the different kinds of lipids?What are some of the different kinds of lipids?

LipidsLipids

• Why are fatty acids considered amphipathic?Why are fatty acids considered amphipathic?

• What’s the difference between a saturated What’s the difference between a saturated and an unsaturated fatty acid?and an unsaturated fatty acid?

LipidsLipids

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

LipidsLipids