Dehydration Synthesis and Properties of Monomers
This page introduces the fundamental concepts of monomers, polymers, and the processes that connect them in biological systems. It covers the properties of monomers, dehydration synthesis, and hydrolysis reactions.
Definition: Monomers are chemical subunits used to create polymers, which are macromolecules made of monomers.
The formation of polymers involves covalent bonds between monomers. Specific monomers are used to build specific polymers, highlighting the precision in biological molecule construction.
Highlight: Dehydration synthesis is the process used to create macromolecules by forming covalent bonds between monomers.
During dehydration synthesis, subcomponents of a water molecule are removed from interacting monomers, resulting in a covalent bond formation. Water is a byproduct of this process.
Example: In protein formation, amino acids (monomers) are joined through dehydration synthesis to form polypeptides (polymers).
Hydrolysis reactions, on the other hand, break covalent bonds between monomers, effectively breaking down polymers. This process involves the addition of water molecules.
The page also introduces the concept of amino acids as the building blocks of proteins, consisting of an amino (NH2) terminus and a carboxyl (COOH) terminus.
Vocabulary: A polypeptide is a structure of protein, composed of a specific order of amino acids.
Properties of Biological Molecules
This section delves into the relationship between the structure and function of biological molecules, emphasizing that changes in structure often result in changes in function.
Quote: "Function is related to structure"
The page discusses nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids, highlighting their unique structures and functions.
Definition: Nucleic acids are polymers consisting of monomers called nucleotides, which have a basic structure including a five-carbon sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogen base.
Nucleic acids store biological information in the sequence of nucleotides. The structure of proteins is determined by the sequence of amino acids, with different R groups affecting the protein's properties.
Highlight: Proteins can have different amino acids in the polypeptide, resulting in differences in structure and function.
The page concludes with key takeaways, emphasizing that all monomers contain carbon, are connected by covalent bonds, and participate in dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis reactions.
