Basic Biochemistry The Chemical Context of Life. Hierarchy of Biological Order.

Basic Biochemistry

The Chemical Context of Life

Hierarchy of Biological Order

Atoms• Building block

of matter.• Composed of

protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

• Negatively charged electrons in orbits around nucleus

• They have mass• They interact and bond to

make molecules.

Ions

• An atom with a net + or – charge because it has either lost or gained an electron.

• Examples: H+ , Cl-, Na+

Molecules• Molecules are formed by 2 important

bonds: ionic and covalent.

• Ionic bonds are formed between ions. The positively charged ion attaches to the negatively charged ion.

Molecules• Covalent bonds are formed when atoms

share elections.

Hydrogen bonds

• Weak bonds formed between + charged H atom of H2O and the slightly – charged atom of oxygen of another H2O molecule.

This leads to important properties of water:• Cohesion, • Surface tension, • Capillary action, • Stable temperature, • Universal solvent.

Water

Organic Chemistry• The study of chemistry that specializes in the study of carbon.

• Functional groups: clusters of atoms that attach to carbons.

4 Major Macromolecules

• Carbohydrates

• Lipids

• Nucleic Acids

• Proteins

Carbohydrates• Sugars• Energy source• Provide storage and

structure• Monosaccharide-

simple sugarsEx. C6H12O6

Glucose

Carbohydrates

• Disaccharide- two sugars

• Polysaccharide- many sugars

Lipids• Fats, Oils, Steroids

• Insoluble in water

• Fatty acid chains attached to glycerol

• Important examples: phospholipids, steroids

• DNA & RNA

• Made up of nucleotides: sugar, phosphate, and nitrogen base

Nucleic Acids

Proteins• Many important

jobs in structure and function of living things.

• Nearly all proteins are enzymes.

• Made up of the 20 amino acids.

Proteins

Proteins must have a specific shape and structure. If the structure is destroyed, the function is also destroyed.