Compounds of Living Things a.k.a. Organic Compounds

Most abundant____ in living things: Elements: C, H, O, N and P, S Compound: WATER (which is NOT an organic compound)

Organic Compounds Compounds that contain Carbon

Biomolecule Large molecules built from smaller, simpler units in living organisms

4 main organic compounds in living things Carbohydrates Lipids Proteins Nucleic Acids

Note Template Compound Common Name Elements that make it up Basic building blocks Best for… Examples

Carbohydrates Sugars and starches C,H,O Monosaccharides Best for available energy Fruit, vegetables, grains

Lipids Fats, Oils, and waxes C,H,O Glycerol and fatty acids Best for stored energy Vegetable Oil, animal fat Hydrophobic

Proteins C,H,O,N Amino Acids Is the end result of gene expression. – -Control the rate of reactions -Regulate cell processes -Form bones and muscles -Transport substances into or out of cells -Help to fight disease EX: meats, beans, nuts

NUCLEIC ACIDS DNA & RNA C,H,O,N P,S Nucleotides GENETIC INFO DNA & RNA (Found in all living things)

More details…..

Carbohydrates Monosaccharide Disaccharide Polysaccharide One sugar (ex glucose C 6 H 12 O 6 ) others- fructose and galactose Two sugar – sucrose (table sugar), maltose, lactose Many sugar- a.k.a. Starches glycogen is animal starch Cellulose- found in plant cells and gives them rigidity. MOST ABUNDANT SUGAR IN THE WORLD.

Most abundant carb in the world? Cellulose- found in plant cells and gives them rigidity. MOST ABUNDANT SUGAR IN THE WORLD. ANOTHER CARB YOU SHOULD KNOW… glycogen is animal starch. We make glycogen and store it in the liver. Then we break it down to glucose so our body will have fuel when we sleep, etc.

Dehydration synthesis Remove H 2 O to create… Remove water and it makes larger molecules Ex: glucose + glucose – water = sucrose ENERGY IS STORED WHEN BONDS ARE MADE

Hydrolysis Add water to break compounds apart ENERGY IS RELEASED WHEN BONDS ARE BROKEN

Dehydration and Hydrolysis Are used in many of our metabolic processes….not just with carbs. Proteins and Lipids are made (synthesized) and broken down (decomposed…digested) this way too.

Carb usage/function… Best source of energy Also used in cell recognition. Acts as “flags’ on surface of cell membrane.

Lipids Fats, phospholipids, steroids, waxes, oils Unsaturated -liquid at r.t (oils) – Come from plants and can prevent heart disease (good) Saturated – solid at r.t. (wax) Come from animals and can cause heart disease (Bad) Phospholipid bilayer - 

Unsaturated vs Saturated

PROTEINS ENZYMES are a type of protein. They act as catalysts, which is something that speeds up a reaction without being used in the reaction. EX: Lactase helps decompose lactose. (-ase often indicates it is an enzyme) Some reactions in your body would take millions of years to happen on their own.

Proteins Are also known as polypeptides because the many amino acids are held together with a peptide bound. (this is a STRONG bond)

Amino Acids cont Amino acids that we can not make (synthesize) are called essential amino acids. They must be obtained from the food we eat.

Levels of structure Primary – sequence of amino acids Secondary- twisting and folding of primary structure Tertiary- globular (3D) Quartinary- 2 or more primary structures entwined Structure = function

Primary structure = order of amino acids in the protein chain

Activation Energy Is the amount of energy needed to make the reaction occur. Enzymes LOWER the activation energy.

Nucleic Acids See ppt DNA basics