Chapter 1 Biochemistry and The Organization in Cells
Chapter 1 Biochemistry and The Organization in Cells
Farrell
http://academic.cengage.com/chemistry/campbell
Field of Biochemistry draws many disciplines allows us to answer questions related to molecular nature of life
Biomolecules
Organic chemistry: the study of the compounds of carbon
the cellular apparatus of living organisms is made up of carbon compounds biomolecules are part of the subject matter of organic chemistry the reactions of biomolecules can be described by the methods of organic chemistry
Biomolecules (Contd)
Functional group: an atom or group of atoms that shows characteristic physical and chemical properties
Origins of Life
The big bang theory
all matter was originally confined in a very small space as the result of an explosion, it started to expand with great force; temperature approx. 15 x 109 K the average temperature of the universe has been decreasing ever since in the earliest stages of the universe, the only elements present were H, He, and Li other elements formed by
thermonuclear reactions in stars explosions of stars the action of cosmic rays outside the stars
Biomolecules (Contd)
Gases present in the atmosphere of the early earth included NH3, H2S, CO, CO2, CH4, N2, H2, and H2O but not O2 Experiments have demonstrated that important biomolecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids, could have arisen under abiotic (nonliving) conditions from reactions of these simple compounds
in the earths oceans on the surface of clay particles
Biomolecules (Contd)
Living cells include very large molecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, and lipids
these biomolecules are polymers (Greek: poly + meros, many + parts) they are derived from monomers (Greek: mono + meros, single + part) --amino acids --> proteins --nucleotides --> nucleic acids --monosaccharides --> polysaccharides --glycerol and 3 fatty acids --> lipids
Informational Macromolecules
Biomolecules (Contd)
Enzymes: a class of proteins that are biocatalysts
the catalytic effectiveness of a given enzyme depends on its amino acid sequence
Genetic code: the relationship between the nucleotide sequence in nucleic acids and the amino acid sequence in proteins
theories of the origin of life consider how such a coding system might have arisen
Biomolecules (Contd)
Which came firstthe chicken or the egg?
catalytic activity associated with proteins coding associated with nucleic acids
It has been discovered recently that certain types of RNA have catalytic activity and are capable of catalyzing their own further processing (See Figure 1.7 p.12) RNA is now considered by many scientists to have been the original coding material it still serves this function in some viruses
Even later, DNA became the primary genetic material, and RNA took on only an intermediary role in the synthesis of proteins
Eukaryotes
mainly unicellular
0.2-5m in diameter anaerobic or aerobic No free in cytoplasm as nucleoid RNA & protein synthesized in the same compartment no cytoskeleton usually haploid simple division following DNA replication
Metabolism
mainly multicellular; with differentiation of many cell types 10-50m in diameter aerobic Yes, with several kinds of organelles in nucleus, condensed with proteins into chromosomes RNA synthesized in nucleus; proteins in the cytoplasm cytoskeleton composed of protein filaments
almost always diploid or polyploid mitosis in somatic cells; meiosis in gamete formation
Mitochondria
Site of ATP production via aerobic metabolism Key Features outer membrane intermembrane space inner membrane matrix
Chloroplasts
Site of photosynthesis in plants and green algae Key Features outer membrane intermembrane space inner membrane stroma thylakoid membrane thylakoid lumen
Lysosomes
Responsible for degrading certain cell components material internalized from the extracellular environment Key Features single membrane pH of lumen 5 acid hydrolases carry out degradation reactions
Peroxisomes
Responsible for degrading fatty acids toxic compounds Key Features single membrane contain oxidases and catalase
Provides classification for eukaryotes that are neither plants nor animals Kingdoms are: Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Anamilia