B1510 Module3 1a Biomolecules 2011

Georgia Tech School of Biology

Fall 2011Biol 1510

Molecules of Life

Part A: Review of essential chemistry• Elements• Electronegativity• Bonds• Organic molecules

All images are from Wikimedia Commons, unless otherwise noted.


Fall 2011Biol 1510

elemental abundance: human body ocean water

Element Proportion (by mass)

Oxygen 65% 86%

Carbon 18% 0.0028%

Hydrogen 10% 11%

Nitrogen 3% 0.0016%

Calcium 1.5% 0.04%

Phosphorus 1.2% 0.000006%

Potassium 0.2%

Sulfur 0.2%

Chlorine 0.2%

Sodium 0.1%

Magnesium 0.05%

Iron < 0.05%

Cobalt < 0.05%

Copper < 0.05%

Zinc < 0.05%

Iodine < 0.05%

Selenium < 0.01%

Fluorine < 0.01%

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphorus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulfur

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobalt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selenium

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorine


Fall 2011Biol 1510

Periodic table of the elements


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What determines what kind of bond forms between atoms?

Element Electro-negativity

O 3.44

N 3.04

S 2.58

C 2.55

H 2.20


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How do molecules behave in water?


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Which of these are organic molecules?

A. methane B. carbon dioxide

C. carbonic acid D. formic acid


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What is the difference, then, between organic carbon and inorganic carbon?

“The purpose of life is to hydrogenate carbon dioxide” – Sean Carroll

“The purpose of life is to hydrogenate carbon dioxide” – Sean Carroll


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Molecules of Life

Part B: Four major kinds of molecules make up the bulk of a cell

• Carbohydrates• Nucleic acids• Lipids• Proteins


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E. coli E. coli dry mass Human cell dry mass

Plant cell dry mass

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Chemical composition of cells

Inorganic

Other organic

Polysaccharides

Lipids

DNA

RNA

Proteins

WaterPe

rce

nt

of

tota

l ma

ss

Sources: Watson JD: Molecular Biology of the Gene, 2nd ed., Philadelphia, PA: Saunders, 1972Freitas RA Nanomedicine, 1998, http://www.foresight.org/Nanomedicine/Ch03_1.htmlUshiyama K: Plant Cell Culture in Japan, p. 97 (1991). Eds. Komamine, A., CMC Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan

http://www.foresight.org/Nanomedicine/Ch03_1.html


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Macromolecules (very large molecules)• What are the major types of biological

macromolecules and their subunits (building blocks)?

• What physico-chemical forces or interactions affect the structure and function of each type of macromolecule (particularly proteins)?

• How do variations in structure/composition of macromolecules affect their function and the adaptation of the organism to its environment?

http://jchoigt.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/biomolecules/

http://jchoigt.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/biomolecules/


Fall 2011Biol 1510

Carbohydrates, glycans, polysaccharides

lactose

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Glucose_Fisher_to_Haworth.gif





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Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA)


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Phosphodiester bonds T


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Glycans (polysaccharides)

Proteins (polypeptides)

Nucleic acids(DNA and RNA)

Subunits monosaccharides Amino acids Nucleotineds

Elemental Composition

C H O (N) C, H, N, O, S CHONP

Bonds between subunits

Glysosidic Peptide Phosphodiester

Structure Branhed Complex 3d folded linear hain of aas

Linear chain dna=duplexCan fold

Cellular functions


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Salt Ionic Bonds

Vinegar Hydrogen Bonds, Ionic Bonds

Soap, organic solvent Hydrophobic interactions

Alcohol Hydrogen

Heat Vanderwalls, hydrogen bonds

Biology 1510


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Molecules of Life

Part C: Protein structure• Amino acids• Peptide bonds• Levels of protein structure• Hemoglobin example


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Proteins (polypeptides) are made as linear chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds


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Nonpolar amino acids - hydrophobic


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Polar amino acids - hydrophilic

Dan Cojocari, Dept Medical Biophysics, U. Toronto 2011 Wikimedia Commons


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Protein structure


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Secondary structure: alpha-helix


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Secondary structure: beta-sheet


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What holds the tertiary structure together?

Campbell Biology, 8th ed.


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Protein structure and function example – sickle cell hemoglobin

http://gingi.uchicago.edu/hbs2.html


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Hemoglobin S differs from Hemoglobin A at what levels of protein structure?

http://www.carnegieinstitution.org/first_light_case/horn/lessons/sickle.html


Fall 2011Biol 1510

Wikipedia

Valine 6 causes additional interactions

http://www.carnegieinstitution.org/first_light_case/horn/lessons/sickle.html

B1510 Module3 1a Biomolecules 2011

Documents

molecules of lifepart

molecules of lifepart

inorganic carbon

major kinds of molecules

carbon dioxidec

polysaccharides lactose

nucleic acids dna

hydrogen bondsbiology