Carbohydrates, Proteins and Nucleic Acids
Carbohydrates are polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones, proteins are polymers of amino acids linked by peptide bonds, and nucleic acids carry genetic information in nucleotide sequences.
What is Carbohydrates, Proteins and Nucleic Acids?
Carbohydrates are polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones, proteins are polymers of amino acids linked by peptide bonds, and nucleic acids carry genetic information in nucleotide sequences.
Key formula / rule: Glucose exists in open chain and cyclic anomeric forms.
Key points
- Classify biomolecules by their monomer units and linkages.
- Explain the structural basis of protein denaturation.
Common exam trap
Assuming denaturation breaks the peptide backbone.
Definitions
- Term
Carbohydrates, Proteins and Nucleic Acids
- Meaning
Carbohydrates are polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones, proteins are polymers of amino acids linked by peptide bonds, and nucleic acids carry genetic information in nucleotide sequences.
- Term
Carbohydrates, Proteins and Nucleic Acids — explanation
- Meaning
Each class is a polymer whose properties follow from its monomer and linkage. Protein function depends on a folded three-dimensional structure that denaturation destroys without breaking peptide bonds.
Learning objectives
Classify biomolecules by their monomer units and linkages.
Explain the structural basis of protein denaturation.
Formulae
- Key point
Glucose exists in open chain and cyclic anomeric forms.
- Key point
Amino acids are amphoteric and exist as zwitterions at their isoelectric point.
- Key point
DNA carries deoxyribose and thymine while RNA carries ribose and uracil.
Prerequisites
CHE-U5-FG-T1-S1-C2
Common mistakes
Assuming denaturation breaks the peptide backbone.
Treating all carbohydrates as reducing sugars.
Keywords
Carbohydrates
Proteins
Nucleic
Acids
Practice preview
What are the basic building blocks of proteins?…
easy
The alpha-D-glucose and beta-D-glucose are:…
hard
Which of the following statements correctly defines carbohydrates?…
easy