Concept 3.1 Nucleic Acids Are Informational Macromolecules

Concept 3.1: Nucleic Acids are Informational Macromolecules

Nucleic acids are polymers and there are two types, Dna and Rna. Dna is where the information is stored and determines how functions in the body is carried out and Rna how mediates the information.

The monomers of nucleic acids(polymers) are made up of nucleotides. Nucleotides are made up of three parts:nitrogen containing base, a pentose sugar and anywhere from 1 to 3 phosphate groups.

Nucleosides are molecules that have a pentose and a nitrogen as a base but not phosphate.

Nucleoside monophosphates are nucleotides that only have one phosphate group. They are found in Dna or Rna.

The bases of that make of Dna or Rna can be one of two chemical forms, a pyrimidine or a purine.

Dna

Gene expression is the transcription(Dna copied into Rna) then translation(the Rna is then used to specify certain amino acids in a polypeptide chain) of Dna.

Dna replication is dependent on what is already there and the whole thing must be replicated.

Genes: Specific proteins in the Dna that the Rna transcribed

Polypeptide: Linear polymer of amino acids forming a protein. Dna helps reveal relations between species b/c of similarities or lack of it.

Humans genome has about 3 billion base pairs

3.2: Proteins are Polymers with important Structural and Metabolic Roles

Proteins have many functions such as being enzymes, storage proteins, transport proteins etc Proteins=polymers made up of amino acids. The amino acids has a nitrogen containing amino group and a carboxylic acid group.

Acid: Releases a positive H in water

Base: Release a hydroxide in water

In all amino acids, the center is a Carbon. Two electrons are shared with the 2 functional groups, a third for a H while the last electron is shared with a side chain that is used to identify the amino acid.

Only 20 amino acids occur in all organisms

Five of these acids have sides that are charged attracting water and the oppositely charged

For adding chemical groups, it means that the side chains help destabilize the bonds in the reactants.

The way an enzyme works like a ball and a mitt. The substrate or ball is caught/binded then the mitt or active site is changed to make it more tight.

One of the reasons for enzymes’ size is because it needs to provide a binding site for regulatory molecules.

Enzymes have partners to help with its jobs. They are cofactors, coenzymes and prosthetic groups. Cofactors are inorganic ions aka metals. Coenzymes are simply molecules containing a carbon and it attache to the enzyme to help change the substrate chemically. A coenzyme also changes during the reaction, leaves after its finishes and can participate with other different reactions. Prosthetic groups are acids without aminos that bound to the enzymes.

The more reactants means the more reactions over a period of time.

When an active site is full, it is considered saturated.

Turnover number refers to amount of products produced by an enzyme when it is saturated.

3.4: Regulation of Metabolism Occurs by Regulation of