What

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Water, pH and Biological Molecules
Whats so special about water?
Its a great solvent.
It holds tons of heat.
It has high surface tension.
Its less dense as a solid than a liquid.
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Water as a Solvent
Dissolving table salt (sodium chloride)
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Water Is Lighter as Solid than as a Liquid
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Water Has High Surface Tension
The attraction of one water molecule to another
also accounts for its ability to hold huge
amounts of heat.
5
pH is a Big Deal
pH is a measure of proton (hydrogen ion or H)
concentration .
Low pH lots of Hs, High pH few Hs.
In biology, keeping H levels within a narrow
range is critically important.
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Acids and Bases
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Carbons Cool
Carbon is the central atom of life.
Because carbon contains 4 electrons in its outer
shell, it can pair in many ways with many
different atoms in an attempt to fill its outer
shell.
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Carbon is the Central Atom of Life
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Some Useful Nomenclature
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In Biology, Shape Matters
Its not just chemical formula, its the shape of
the molecule that lets it do its job.
Never forget the axiom structure dictates
function.
Some biological molecules.
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Molecules of Life
How do you build a cell?
Start with water, add lots of small
carbon-containing molecules and .
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Rules of the Game
Macromolecules are built by linking a set of
building blocks (monomers) together into long
chains (a polymer).
Each hexagon in this figure is a monomeric
building block linked together to form the
polymer cellulose.
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Macromolecules Are Built By Linking a Set Of
Building Blocks (Monomers) Together Into Long
Chains (A Polymer)
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Glucose A Simple Carbohydrate Used For Energy
Production and as a Building Block For Complex
Carbohydrates
15
Linking Simple Sugars the First Step to a
Polymer and the Last Step to Some Familiar
Compounds
Linking Simple Sugars - Dehydration Synthesis
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Some Familiar and Important Complex Carbohydrates
Note the way complex macromolecules are built by
linking simple repeating units.
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Carbohydrates are Central Players in Energy
Production and Storage
Carbohydrates typically provide the fast fuel
for immediate use Carbo
Hydrate Carbon Water
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Lipids are Hydrophobic Molecules That Exist In
Three Primary Forms
19
Fats Are Made By Linking Fatty Acid Chains to
Glycerol, a Three Carbon Molecule
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Fats are Used in Energy Storage and Production
Fats typically provide long-term energy Fats
are made from glycerol and fatty acids through
dehydration synthesis
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The Degree Of Saturation In A Fat Affects Its
Physical And Nutritional Properties
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The Degree Of Saturation In A Fat Affects Its
Physical And Nutritional Properties
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Sterols Are Part of Cellular Membranes and Act as
Hormones
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Sterols As Hormones
Examples Estrogen, testosterone, progesterone,
and corticosteriods (cortisol) are all steroid
hormones.
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Sterols As Hormones
Designer steroids are major sporting news where
they have been used illegally in track and field,
baseball, football and countless other sports.
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Phospholipids are Building Blocks of Cellular
Membranes
The hydrophilic head group and hydrophobic tails
are the keys to phospholipid function.
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Hydrophilic Head Group And Hydrophobic Tails Are
The Keys To Phospholipid Function
Phospholipids have a Jekyll and Hyde personality.
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Phospholipids Form Biological Membranes
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Protein
Proteins are THE key elements of life. Forget
DNA, proteins rule!
Remember the principle - structure determines
function.
Proteins are the key players of the cell, and
their structures determine cell function.
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FYE - Some of the Diverse Functions of Proteins
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Strands of the Protein Keratin Create Hair
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Proteins are Linear Chains of Linked Amino Acids
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A Common Thread and a Unique Identity
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Amino Acids, Peptide Bonds, Polypeptides, Protein
Proteins are linear chains of 20 different
building blocks called amino acids.
Amino acids are linked by peptide bonds a form
of covalent bond.
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Proteins are Folded Structures Whose Shape (and
therefore function) Depends on Amino Acid Sequence
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Nucleic Acids
There are two kinds of nucleic acids, DNA and
RNA. Both are involved in the storage and flow of
information from gene to gene product.
DNA
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Nucleotides are DNA and RNA Building Blocks
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Nucleotides are Important in Their Own Right
Nucleotides fuel the cell and coordinate its
metabolism