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Organic Molecules

Published on Nov 19, 2015

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Organic Molecules

Agenda

  • Proteins
  • Lipids
  • DNA
  • (these are all organic compounds)

Proteins are made up of amino acids.

Photo by widdowquinn

When amino acids bind together they form a chain called a polypeptide.

A protein has at least one polypeptide chain.

Photo by dullhunk

Four Levels of Protein Structure

  • Sequence of amino acids
  • Pleated sheet or alpha helix
  • Attractions between secondary structures
  • More than one amino acid chain
Photo by Ray Schamp

Complex structures give proteins unique properties.

Functions of Proteins

  • Structural
  • Transport (like hemoglobin)
  • Signals
  • Enzymes
  • Antibodies
Photo by sc63

Dietary proteins are broken down into amino acids when food is digested.

Why do we have to eat protein?

Photo by Dave77459

Humans can only synthesize 12 of the 20 common amino acids.

Photo by dullhunk

The 8 remaining amino acids are called essential amino acids because they must be consumed.

Proteins can be broken down to provide energy.

Photo by VinothChandar

Fats and oils are examples of lipids. Lipids store energy.

Photo by Funky Tee

Lipids are made of repeating units of fatty acids.

Types of fatty acids

  • Saturated
  • Unsaturated

Carbon atoms in saturated fatty acids are bound to as many hydrogens as possible, forming straight chains.

Photo by AJC1

Carbon atoms of unsaturated fatty acids are not bound to as many hydrogen atoms, and the chains are bent.

Saturated fats are solid at room temp, but unsaturated fats are liquids.

Other types of lipids

  • Triglycerides
  • Phospholipids (in cell membranes!)
  • Steroids 

Essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 must be consumed.

A nucleic acid is built of small units called nucleotides.

Photo by net_efekt

Nucleotides bind together to form polynucleotide chains such as RNA.

Each nucleotide is composed of

  • Sugar
  • Phosphate group
  • Nitrogen base

The nitrogen base sticks out from the sugar-phosphate backbone.

Nitrogen Bases

  • Adenine
  • Thymine (Uracil)
  • Cytosine
  • Guanine
  • Form complementary base pairs

DNA molecules form a double helix, which is very strong.

Photo by dullhunk