Biochemistry

An Introduction to the Chemistry of

Life for Biology Students

What is Life Made of?

Physical and Chemical sciences alone
may not completely explain the nature of
life, but they at least provide the essential
framework for such an explanation.
All students of life must have a
fundamental understanding of organic
chemistry and biochemistry.

Organic Chemistry
Organic chemistry is the study of Carbon
compounds.
Organic compounds are compounds
composed primarily of a Carbon
skeleton.
All living things are composed of organic
compounds.

Organic Chemistry
What makes Carbon Special? Why is
Carbon so different from all the other
elements on the periodic table?
The answer derives from the ability of
Carbon atoms to bond together to form
long chains and rings.

Organic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

Carbon can covalently bond with up

to four other atoms.

Carbon can form immensely

diverse compounds, from
simple to complex.

Methane with 1 Carbon

atom

DNA with tens of Billions of

Carbon atoms

Biochemistry
Biochemistry is a special branch of
organic chemistry that deals with matter
inside the living cell called Protoplasm.
Protoplasm is an enormously complex
mixture of organic compounds where
high levels of chemical activity occur.

Biochemistry
How much
biochemistry do you
need to know for this
course?
1. You need to know
the structure of
organic molecules
important to major
biological processes.

2. You will be
expected to learn
the basic
biochemical
processes of
major cell
functions, such as
photosynthesis,
respiration, and
protein synthesis.

Primary Organic
Compounds
You are expected to
learn the structure
and functions of
these organic
compounds:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleic Acids

Polymers ands
Monomers
Each of these types of molecules are
polymers that are assembled from single
units called monomers.
Each type of macromolecule is an
assemblage of a different type of
monomer.

Monomers
Macromolecule
Carbohydrates

Monomer
Monosaccharide

Lipids
Proteins

Not always polymers;

Hydrocarbon chains
Amino acids

Nucleic acids

Nucleotides

How do monomers form

polymers?
In condensation reactions (also called
dehydration synthesis), a molecule of
water is removed from two monomers as
they are connected together.

Hydrolysis
In a reaction opposite to condensation, a
water molecule can be added (along with
the use of an enzyme) to split a polymer
in two.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are made of carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, always in
a ratio of 1:2:1.
Carbohydrates are the key source of
energy used by living things.
The building blocks of carbohydrates are
sugars, such as glucose and fructose.

Carbohydrates
What do the roots
mono-, di-, oligo-,
and poly mean?
Each of these roots
can be added to the
word saccharide to
describe the type of
carbohydrate you
have.

How do two monosaccharides

combine to make a
polysaccharide?

Polysaccharides

Lipids
Lipids are molecules that consist of long
hydrocarbon chains. Attaching the three
chains together is usually a glycerol
molecule. Lipids are NONpolar.

Saturated vs.
Unsaturated Fat

Proteins
Proteins are building blocks of structures
called amino acids. Proteins are what
your DNA codes to make (we will talk
about this in great detail in a month or
so).
A peptide bond forms between amino
acids by dehydration synthesis.

Levels of Protein
Structure

Protein Structure
Level
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Quaternary

Description
The amino acid
sequence
Helices and Sheets
Disulfide bridges
Multiple polypeptides
connect