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Holt Chapter 2
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Holt Chapter 2 Section3
Holt Chapter 3 Section 2
Many of waterâs biological functions stem from its chemical struc- ture. Recall that in the water molecule, H2O, the hydrogen and oxygen atoms share electrons to form covalent bonds. However, these atoms do not share the electrons equally. The oxygen atom has a greater ability to attract electrons to it because it pulls hydrogenâs electrons towards its nucleus. As a result, as shown in Figure 2-8, the region of the molecule where the oxygen atom is located has a partial negative charge, denoted with a , while the regions of the molecule where each of the two hydrogen atoms are located have partial positive charges, each of which are denoted with a . Thus, even though the total charge on a water molecule is neutral, the charge is unevenly distributed across the water molecule. Because of this uneven distribution of charge, water is called a polar compound. Notice also in Figure 2-8 that the three atoms in a water mole- cule are not arranged in a straight line as you might expect. Rather, the two hydrogen atoms bond with the single oxygen atom at an angle. SECTION 3 OBJECTIVES â Describe the structure of a water molecule. â Explain how waterâs polar nature affects its ability to dissolve substances. â Outline the relationship between hydrogen bonding and the different properties of water. â Identify the roles of solutes and solvents in solutions. â Differentiate between acids and bases. VOCABULARY polar hydrogen bond cohesion adhesion capillarity solution solute solvent concentration saturated solution aqueous solution hydroxide ion hydronium ion acid base pH scale buffer Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. (a) Electron cloud model (b) Space-filling model H H O The oxygen region of the water molecule is weakly negative, and the hydrogen regions are weakly positive. Notice the different ways to represent water, H2O. You are familiar with the electron cloud model (a). The space- filling model (b) shows the three- dimensional structure of a molecule. FIGURE 2-8 40 CHAPTER 2 Hydrogen bond H H H H H H H H H O O O O O O H H H H H â â â â â â â + + + + + + + + + + + + + + The dotted lines in this figure represent hydrogen bonds. A hydrogen bond is a force of attraction between a hydrogen atom in one molecule and a negatively charged region or atom in a second molecule. FIGURE 2-10 The positive region of a water molecule attracts the negative region of an ionic compound, such as the Cl portion of NaCl. Similarly, the negative region of the water molecule attracts the positive region of the compoundâthe Na portion of NaCl. As a result, NaCl breaks apart, or dissolves, in water. FIGURE 2-9 CIâ Na+ H2O + + â â Solubility of Water The polar nature of water allows it to dissolve polar substances, such as sugars, ionic compounds, and some proteins. Water does not dissolve nonpolar substances, such as oil because a weaker attraction exists between polar and nonpolar molecules than between two polar molecules. Figure 2-9 shows how water dissolves the ionic compound sodium chloride, NaCl. In your body, ions, such as sodium and chloride, are essential to bodily func- tions, such as muscle contraction and transmission of impulses in the nervous system. In fact, dissolved, or dissociated ions, are pre- sent in all of the aqueous solutions found in living things and are important in maintaining normal body functions. HYDROGEN BONDING The polar nature of water also causes water molecules to be attracted to one another. As is shown in Figure 2-10, the positively charged region of one water molecule is attracted to the negatively charged region of another water molecule. This attraction is called a hydrogen bond. A hydrogen bond is the force of attraction between a hydrogen molecule with a partial positive charge and another atom or molecule with a partial or full negative charge. Hydrogen bonds in water exert an attractive force strong enough so that water âclingsâ to itself and some other substances. Hydrogen bonds form, break, and reform with great frequency. However, at any one time, a great number of water molecules are bonded together. The number of hydrogen bonds that exist depends on the state that water is in. If water is in its solid state all its water molecules are hydrogen bonded and do not break. As water liquifies, more hydrogen bonds are broken than are formed, until an equal number of bonds are formed and broken. Hydrogen bonding accounts for the unique properties of water, some of which we will examine further. These properties include cohesion and adhesion, the ability of water to absorb a relatively large amount of energy as heat, the ability of water to cool surfaces through evaporation, the density of ice, and the ability of water to dissolve many substances.
A symbiosis (SIM-bie-OH-sis) is a close, long-term relationship between two organisms. Three examples of symbiotic relation- ships include: parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism. Parasitism (PAR-uh-SIET-IZ-UHM) is a relationship in which one indi- vidual is harmed while the other individual benefits. Mutualism (MYOO-choo-uhl-IZ-uhm) is a relationship in which both organisms derive some benefit. In commensalism (kuh-MEN-suhl-IZ-uhm), one organism benefits, but the other organism is neither helped nor harmed. Parasitism Parasitism is similar to predation in that one organism, called the host, is harmed and the other organism, called the parasite, benefits. However, unlike many forms of predation, parasitism usually does not result in the immediate death of the host. Generally, the parasite feeds on the host for a long time rather than kills it. Parasites such as aphids, lice, leeches, fleas, ticks, and mosquitoes that remain on the outside of their host are called ectoparasites. Parasites that live inside the hostâs body are called endoparasites. Familiar endoparasites are heart- worms, disease-causing protists, and tapeworms, such as the one shown in Figure 20-5. Natural selection favors adaptations that allow a parasite to exploit its host efficiently. Parasites are usually specialized anatomically and physiologically for a par- asitic lifestyle. Parasites can have a strong negative impact on the health and reproduction of the host. Consequently, hosts have evolved a variety of defenses against parasites. Skin is an important defense that prevents most parasites from entering the body. Tears, saliva, and mucus defend openings through which parasites could pass, such as the eyes, mouth, and nose. Finally, the cells of the immune system may attack para- sites that get past these defenses. parasite from the Latin word parasitus, meaning âone who eats at the table of anotherâ Word Roots and Origins Tapeworms are endoparasites that can grow to 20 m or greater in length. Tapeworms are so specialized for a parasitic lifestyle that they do not have a digestive system. They live in the hostâs small intestine and absorb nutrients directly through their skin. Tapeworms reproduce by producing egg-filled chambers, which are released in their hostâs feces to be unknowingly picked up by a future host. FIGURE 20-5 Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. 404 CHAPTER 20 Mutualism Mutualism is a relationship in which two species derive some benefit from each other. Some mutualistic relation- ships are so close that neither species can survive without the other. An example of mutualism, shown in Figure 20-6, involves ants and some species of Acacia plants. The ants nest inside the acaciaâs large thorns and receive food from the acacia. In turn, the ants protect the acacia from herbi- vores and cut back competing vegetation. Pollination is one of the most important mutualistic rela- tionships on Earth. Animals such as bees, butterflies, flies, beetles, bats, and birds that carry pollen between flowering plants are called pollinators. A flower is a lure for pollina- tors, which are attracted by the flowerâs color, pattern, shape, or scent. The plant usually provides foodâin the form of nectar or pollenâfor its pollinators. As a pollinator feeds in a flower, it picks up a load of pollen, which it may then carry to other flowers of the same species. Commensalism Commensalism is an interaction in which one species benefits and the other species is not affected. Species that scavenge for leftover food items are often considered commensal species. However, a relationship that appears to be commensalism may simply be mutu- alism in which the mutual benefits are not apparent. An example of a commensal relationship is the relationship between cattle egrets and Cape buffaloes in Tanzania. The birds feed on small animals such as insects and lizards that are forced out of their hiding places by the movement of the buffaloes through the grass. Occasionally, the cattle egrets also feed on ectoparasites from the hide of the buffaloes, but the buffaloes gen- erally do not benefit from the presence of the egrets.
A solution is a mixture in which one or more substances are uniformly distributed in another substance. Solutions can be mixtures of liquids, solids, or gases. For example, plasma, the liquid part of blood, is a very complex solution. It is composed of many types of ions and large molecules, as well as gases, that are dissolved in water. A solute (SAHL-YOOT) is a substance dissolved in the solvent. The particles that compose a solute may be ions, atoms, or molecules. The solvent is the substance in which the solute is dissolved. For example, when sugar, a solute, and water, a solvent, are mixed, a solution of sugar water results. Though the sugar dissolves in the water, neither the sugar molecules nor the water molecules are altered chemically. If the water is boiled away, the sugar molecules remain and are unchanged. Solutions can be composed of various proportions of a given solute in a given solvent. Thus, solutions can vary in concentra- tion. The concentration of a solution is the amount of solute dis- solved in a fixed amount of the solution. For example, a 2 percent saltwater solution contains 2 g of salt dissolved in enough water to make 100 mL of solution. The more solute dissolved, the greater is the concentration of the solution. A saturated solution is one in which no more solute can dissolve. Aqueous (AY-kwee-uhs) solutionsâsolutions in which water is the solventâare universally important to living things. Marine microorganisms spend their lives immersed in the sea, an aqueous solution. Most nutrients that plants need are in aqueous solutions in moist soil. Body cells exist in an aqueous solution of intercellu- lar fluid and are themselves filled with fluid; in fact, most chemical reactions that occur in the body occur in aqueous solutions. Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. Liquid water Solid water Ice (solid water) is less dense than liquid water because of the structure of ice crystals. The water molecules in ice are bonded to each other in a way that creates large amounts of open space between the molecules, relative to liquid water. FIGURE 2-12 solvent from the Latin solvere, meaning âto loosenâ Word Roots and Origins CHEMISTRY OF LIFE 43 ACIDS AND BASES One of the most important aspects of a living system is the degree of its acidity or alkalinity. What do we mean when we use the terms acid and base? Ionization of Water As water molecules move about, they bump into one another. Some of these collisions are strong enough to result in a chemical change: one water molecule loses a proton (a hydrogen nucleus), and the other gains this proton. This reaction really occurs in two steps. First, one molecule of water pulls apart another water molecule, or dissociates, into two ions of opposite charge: H2O â H OH The OH ion is known as the hydroxide ion. The free H ion can react with another water molecule, as shown in the equation below. H H2O â H3O The H3O ion is known as the hydronium ion. Acidity or alkalin- ity is a measure of the relative amounts of hydronium ions and hydroxide ions dissolved in a solution. If the number of hydronium ions in a solution equals the number of hydroxide ions, the solution is said to be neutral. Pure water contains equal numbers of hydro- nium ions and hydroxide ions and is therefore a neutral solution. Acids If the number of hydronium ions in a solution is greater than the number of hydroxide ions, the solution is an acid. For example, when hydrogen chloride gas, HCl, is dissolved in water, its mol- ecules dissociate to form hydrogen ions, H, and chloride ions, Cl, as is shown in the equation below. HCl â H Cl These free hydrogen ions combine with water molecules to form hydronium ions, H3O. This aqueous solution contains many more hydronium ions than it does hydroxide ions, making it an acidic solution. Acids tend to have a sour taste; how- ever, never taste a substance to test it for acidity. In concentrated forms, they are highly corrosive to some materials, as you can see in Figure 2-13. Bases If sodium hydroxide, NaOH, a solid, is dissolved in water, it dissociates to form sodium ions, Na, and hydroxide ions, OH, as shown in the equation below. NaOH â Na OH Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. Eco Connection onnection Acid Precipitation Acid precipitation, more commonly called acid rain, describes rain, snow, sleet, or fog that contains high levels of sulfuric and nitric acids. These acids form when sulfur dioxide gas, SO2, and nitrogen oxide gas, NO, react with water in the atmosphere to produce sulfuric acid, H2SO4, and nitric acid, HNO3. Acid precipitation makes soil and bodies of water, such as lakes, more acidic than normal. These high acid levels can harm plant and animal life directly. A high level of acid in a lake may kill mollusks, fish, and amphibians. Even in a lake that does not have a very elevated level of acid, acid precipitation may leach aluminum and magnesium from soils, poisoning water- dwelling species. Reducing fossil-fuel consump- tion, such as occurs in gasoline engines and coal-burning power plants, should reduce high acid levels in precipitation. Sulfur dioxide, SO2, which is produced when fossil fuels are burned, reacts with water in the atmosphere to produce acid precipitation. Acid precipitation, or acid rain, can make lakes and rivers too acidic to support life and can even corrode stone, such as the face of this statue. FIGURE 2-13 44 CHAPTER 2 This solution then contains more hydroxide ions than hydronium ions and is therefore defined as a base. The adjective alkaline refers to bases. Bases have a bitter taste; however, never taste a substance to test for alkalinity. They tend to feel slippery because the OH ions react with the oil on our skin to form a soap. In fact, commercial soap is the product of a reaction between a base and a fat. pH Scientists have developed a scale for comparing the relative con- centrations of hydronium ions and hydroxide ions in a solution. This scale is called the pH scale, and it ranges from 0 to 14, as shown in Figure 2-14. A solution with a pH of 0 is very acidic, a solution with a pH of 7 is neutral, and a solution with a pH of 14 is very basic. A solutionâs pH is measured on a logarithmic scale. That is, the change of one pH unit reflects a 10-fold change in the acidity or alkalinity. For example, urine has 10 times the H3O ions at a pH of 6 than water does at a pH of 7. Vinegar, has 1,000 times more H3O ions at a pH of 3 than urine at a pH of 6, and 10,000 times more H3O ions than water at a pH of 7. The pH of a solution can be measured with litmus paper or with some other chemical indicator that changes color at various pH levels. Buffers The control of pH is important for living systems. Enzymes can function only within a very narrow pH range. The control of pH in organisms is often accomplished with buffers. Buffers are chemi- cal substances that neutralize small amounts of either an acid or a base added to a solution. As Figure 2-14 shows, the composition of your internal environmentâin terms of acidity and alkalinityâ varies greatly. Some of your body fluids, such as stomach acid and urine, are acidic. Others, such as intestinal fluid and blood, are
A solution is composed of a solute dissolved in a solvent. In the sugar water described in Figure 5-1, the solute was sugar and the solvent was water, and the solute molecules diffused through the solvent. It is also possible for solvent molecules to diffuse. In the case of cells, the solutes are organic and inorganic compounds, and the solvent is water. The process by which water molecules diffuse across a cell membrane from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration is called osmosis (ahs-MOH-sis). Because water is moving from a higher to lower concentration, osmosis does not require cells to expend energy. Therefore, osmosis is the passive transport of water. Direction of Osmosis The net direction of osmosis depends on the relative concentra- tion of solutes on the two sides of the membrane. Examine Table 5-1. When the concentration of solute molecules outside the cell is lower than the concentration in the cytosol, the solution outside is hypotonic to the cytosol. In this situation, water diffuses into the cell until equilibrium is established. When the concentration of solute molecules outside the cell is higher than the concentration in the cytosol, the solution outside is hypertonic to the cytosol. In this situation, water diffuses out of the cell until equilibrium is established. Observing Diffusion Materials 600 mL beaker, 25 cm dialysis tubing, funnel, 15 mL starch solution (10 percent), 20 drops Lugolâs solution, 300 mL water, 100 mL graduated cylinder, 20 cm piece of string (2) Procedure 1. Put on your disposable gloves, lab apron, and safety goggles. 2. Pour 300 mL of water in the 600 mL beaker. 3. Add 20 drops of Lugolâs solution to the water. CAUTION: Lugolâs solution is a poison and eye and skin irritant. 4. Open the dialysis tubing, and tie one end tightly with a piece of string. 5. Using the funnel, pour 15 mL of 10 percent starch solution into the dialysis tubing. 6. Tie the other end of the dialysis tubing tightly with the second piece of string, forming a sealed bag around the starch solution. 7. Place the bag into the solution in the beaker, and observe the setup for a color change. Analysis What happened to the color in the bag? What happened to the color of the water around the bag? Explain your observations. Quick Lab www.scilinks.org Topic: Osmosis Keyword: HM61090 mb06se_homs01.qxd 11/27/07 8:52 AM Page 98 HOMEOSTASIS AND CELL TRANSPORT 99 When the concentrations of solutes outside and inside the cell are equal, the outside solution is said to be isotonic to the cytosol. Under these conditions, water diffuses into and out of the cell at equal rates, so there is no net movement of water. Notice that the prefixes hypo-, hyper-, and iso- refer to the relative solute concentrations of two solutions. Thus, if the solution outside the cell is hypotonic to the cytosol, then the cytosol must be hyper- tonic to that solution. Conversely, if the solution outside is hypertonic to the cytosol, then the cytosol must be hypotonic to the solution. Water tends to diffuse from hypo- tonic solutions to hypertonic solutions. How Cells Deal with Osmosis Cells that are exposed to an isotonic external environment usually have no difficulty keeping the movement of water across the cell membrane in balance. This is the case with the cells of ver- tebrate animals on land and of most other organ- isms living in the sea. In contrast, many cells function in a hypotonic environment. Such is the case for unicellular freshwater organisms. Water constantly diffuses into these organisms. Because they require a relatively lower concentration of water in the cytosol to function normally, unicel- lular organisms must rid themselves of the excess water that enters by osmosis. Some of them, such as the paramecia shown in Figure 5-2, do this with contractile vacuoles (kon-TRAK-til VAK-y Ì Ìo Ì Ìo-OL), which are organelles that remove water. Contractile vacuoles collect the excess water and then contract, pumping the water out of the cell. Unlike diffusion and osmosis, this pumping action is not a form of passive trans- port because it requires the cell to expend energy. Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. (a) (b) Vacuole filling with water Vacuole contracting TABLE 5-1 Direction of Osmosis Condition External solution is hypotonic to cytosol External solution is hypertonic to cytosol External solution is isotonic to cytosol Net movement of water into the cell out of the cell none H2O H2O H2O H2O H2O H2O The paramecia shown below live in fresh water, which is hypotonic to their cytosol. (a) Contractile vacuoles collect excess water that moves by osmosis into the cytosol. (b) The vacuoles then contract, returning the water to the outside of the cell. (LM 315) FIGURE 5-2 100 CHAPTER 5 (a) HYPOTONIC Cell walls (b) HYPERTONIC (a) ISOTONIC (b) HYPOTONIC (c) HYPERTONIC Other cells, including many of those in multicellular organisms, respond to hypotonic environments by pumping solutes out of the cytosol. This lowers the solute concentration in the cytosol, bring- ing it closer to the solute concentration in the environment. As a result, water molecules are less likely to diffuse into the cell. Most plant cells, like animal cells, live in a hypotonic environ- ment. In fact, the cells that make up plant roots may be surrounded by water. This water moves into plant cells by osmosis. These cells swell as they fill with water until the cell membrane is pressed against the inside of the cell wall, as Figure 5-3a shows. The cell wall is strong enough to resist the pressure exerted by the water inside the expanding cell. The pressure that water molecules exert against the cell wall is called turgor pressure (TER-GOR PRESH-er). In a hypertonic environment, water leaves the cells through osmosis. As shown in Figure 5-3b, the cells shrink away from the cell walls, and turgor pressure is lost. This condition is called plasmolysis (plaz-MAHL-uh-sis), and is the reason that plants wilt if they donât receive enough water. Some cells cannot compensate for changes in the solute con-
The cytoskeleton is a network of thin tubes and filaments that crisscrosses the cytosol. The tubes and filaments give shape to the cell from the inside in the same way that tent poles support the shape of a tent. The cytoskeleton also acts as a system of internal tracks, shown in Figure 4-18, on which items move around inside the cell. The cytoskeletonâs functions are based on several struc- tural elements. Three of these are microtubules, microfilaments, and intermediate filaments, shown and described in Table 4-2. Microtubules Microtubules are hollow tubes made of a protein called tubulin. Each tubulin molecule consists of two slightly different subunits. Microtubules radiate outward from a central point called the centrosome near the nucleus. Microtubules hold organelles in place, maintain a cellâs shape, and act as tracks that guide organelles and molecules as they move within the cell. Microfilaments Finer than microtubules, microfilaments are long threads of the beadlike protein actin and are linked end to end and wrapped around each other like two strands of a rope. Microfilaments con- tribute to cell movement, including the crawling of white blood cells and the contraction of muscle cells. Intermediate Filaments Intermediate filaments are rods that anchor the nucleus and some other organelles to their places in the cell. They maintain the inter- nal shape of the nucleus. Hair-follicle cells produce large quantities of intermediate filament proteins. These proteins make up most of the hair shaft. 84 CHAPTER 4 TABLE 4-2 The Structure of the Cytoskeleton Property Microtubules Microfilaments Intermediate filaments Structure hollow tubes made of two strands of intertwined protein fibers coiled into coiled protein protein cables Protein subunits tubulin, with two subunits: Ă„ actin one of several types of and â« tubulin fibrous proteins Main function maintenance of cell shape; cell maintenance and changing of maintenance of cell shape; motility (in cilia and flagella); cell shape; muscle contraction; anchor nucleus and other chromosome movement; movement of cytoplasm; cell organelles; maintenance of organelle movement motility; cell division shape of nucleus Shape Microtubules provide a path for organelles and molecules as they move throughout the cell. FIGURE 4-18 Microtubules Nucleus Endoplasmic reticulum Mitochondrion Ribosomes Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. CELL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION 85 1. Explain how the fluid mosaic model describes the plasma membrane. 2. List three cellular functions that occur in the nucleus. 3. Describe the organelles that are found in a eukaryotic cell. 4. Identify two characteristics that make mitochon- dria different from other organelles. 5. Contrast three types of cytoskeletal fibers. CRITICAL THINKING 6. Relating Concepts If a cell has a high energy requirement, would you expect the cell to have many mitochondria or few mitochondria? Why? 7. Analyzing Information How do scientists think that mitochondria originated? Why? 8. Analyzing Statements It is not completely accurate to say that organelles are floating freely in the cytosol. Why not? SECTION 3 REVIEW During cell division, centrioles organize microtubules that pull the chromosomes (orange) apart. The centrioles are at the center of rays of microtubules, which have been stained green with a fluorescent dye. FIGURE 4-20 Cilia and Flagella Cilia (SIL-ee-uh) and flagella (fluh-JEL-uh) are hairlike structures that extend from the surface of the cell, where they assist in movement. Cilia are short and are present in large numbers on certain cells, whereas flagella are longer and are far less numerous on the cells where they occur. Cilia and flagella have a membrane on their outer surface and an internal structure of nine pairs of micro- tubules around two central tubules, as Figure 4-19 shows. Cilia on cells in the inner ear vibrate and help detect sound. Cilia cover the surfaces of many protists and ârowâ the protists through water like thousands of oars. On other protists, cilia sweep water and food particles into a mouthlike opening. Many kinds of protists use flagella to propel themselves, as do human sperm cells. Centrioles Centrioles consist of two short cylinders of microtubules at right angles to each other and are situated in the cytoplasm near the nuclear envelope. Centrioles occur in animal cells, where they organize the microtubules of the cytoskeleton during cell division, as shown in Figure 4-20. Plant cells lack centrioles. Basal bodies have the same structure that centrioles do. Basal bodies are found at the base of cilia and flagella and appear to organize the devel- opment of cilia and flagella.
CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrates are organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a ratio of about one carbon atom to two hydrogen atoms to one oxygen atom. The number of carbon atoms in a carbohydrate varies. Some carbohydrates serve as a source of energy. Other carbohydrates are used as structural materials. Carbohydrates can exist as monosaccharides, disaccharides, or polysaccharides. Monosaccharides A monomer of a carbohydrate is called a monosaccharide (MAHN-oh-SAK-uh-RIED). A monosaccharideâor simple sugarâ contains carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a ratio of 1:2:1. The gen- eral formula for a monosaccharide is written as (CH2O)n, where n is any whole number from 3 to 8. For example, a six-carbon mono- saccharide, (CH2O)6, would have the formula C6H12O6. The most common monosaccharides are glucose, fructose, and galactose, as shown in Figure 3-6. Glucose is a main source of energy for cells. Fructose is found in fruits and is the sweetest of the monosaccharides. Galactose is found in milk. Notice in Figure 3-6 that glucose, fructose, and galactose have the same molecular formula, C6H12O6, but differing structures. The different structures determine the slightly different properties of the three compounds. Compounds like these sugars, with a single chemical formula but different structural forms, are called isomers (IE-soh-muhrz). SECTION 2 OBJECTIVES â Distinguish between monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. â Explain the relationship between amino acids and protein structure. â Describe the induced fit model of enzyme action. â Compare the structure and function of each of the different types of lipids. â Compare the nucleic acids DNA and RNA. VOCABULARY carbohydrate monosaccharide disaccharide polysaccharide protein amino acid peptide bond polypeptide enzyme substrate active site lipid fatty acid phospholipid wax steroid nucleic acid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) ribonucleic acid (RNA) nucleotide C HO H C H OH C OH H C CH2OH H C H OH O Glucose C OH C O H OH C OH H CH2OH C H CH2OH Fructose C H HO C OH H C OH H C CH2OH H C H OH O Galactose Glucose, fructose, and galactose have the same chemical formula, but their structural differences result in different properties among the three compounds. FIGURE 3-6 Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. 56 CHAPTER 3 Disaccharides and Polysaccharides In living things, two monosaccharides can combine in a condensa- tion reaction to form a double sugar, or disaccharide (die-SAK-e-RIED). For example in Figure 3-4, the monosaccharides fructose and glu- cose can combine to form the disaccharide sucrose. A polysaccharide is a complex molecule composed of three or more monosaccharides. Animals store glucose in the form of the polysaccharide glycogen. Glycogen consists of hundreds of glucose molecules strung together in a highly branched chain. Much of the glucose that comes from food is ultimately stored in your liver and muscles as glycogen and is ready to be used for quick energy. Plants store glucose molecules in the form of the polysaccha- ride starch. Starch molecules have two basic formsâhighly branched chains that are similar to glycogen and long, coiled, unbranched chains. Plants also make a large polysaccharide called cellulose. Cellulose, which gives strength and rigidity to plant cells, makes up about 50 percent of wood. In a single cellu- lose molecule, thousands of glucose monomers are linked in long, straight chains. These chains tend to form hydrogen bonds with each other. The resulting structure is strong and can be broken down by hydrolysis only under certain conditions. PROTEINS Proteins are organic compounds composed mainly of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Like most of the other biological macromolecules, proteins are formed from the linkage of monomers called amino acids. Hair and horns, as shown in Figure 3-7a, are made mostly of proteins, as are skin, muscles and many biological catalysts (enzymes). Amino Acids There are 20 different amino acids, and all share a basic structure. As Figure 3-7b shows, each amino acid contains a central carbon atom covalently bonded to four other atoms or functional groups. A single hydrogen atom, highlighted in blue in the illustration, bonds at one site. A carboxyl group, âCOOH, highlighted in green, bonds at a second site. An amino group, âNH2, highlighted in yel- low, bonds at a third site. A side chain called the R group, high- lighted in red, bonds at the fourth site. The main difference among the different amino acids is in their R groups. The R group can be complex or it can be simple, such as the CH3 group shown in the amino acid alanine in Figure 3-7b. The differences among the amino acid R groups gives different proteins very different shapes. The different shapes allow pro- teins to carry out many different activities in living things. Amino acids are commonly shown in a simplified way such as balls, as shown in Figure 3-7c. (a) Many structures, such as hair and horns are made of proteins. (b) Proteins are made up of amino acids. Amino acids differ only in the type of R group (shown in red) they carry. Polar R groups can dissolve in water, but nonpolar R groups cannot. (c) Amino acids have complex structures, so, in this and other textbooks, they are often simplified into balls. FIGURE 3-7 (b) Alanine (an amino acid) (c) Simplified version of amino acid CH3 H N OH C C H O H (a) Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. BIOCHEMISTRY 57 H H N C C OH H O H CH3 H2O Glycine Alanine H N OH C C H O H H H N C C H O H CH3 N OH C C H O H (a) (b) (a) The peptide bond (shaded blue) that binds amino acids together to form a polypeptide results from a condensation reaction that produces water. (b) Poly- peptides are commonly shown as a string of balls in this textbook and elsewhere. Each ball represents an amino acid. FIGURE 3-8 Substrate Products Enzyme 1 2 3 In the induced fit model of enzyme action, the enzyme can attach only to a substrate (reactant) with a specific shape. The enzyme then changes and reduces the activation energy of the reaction so reactants can become products. The enzyme is unchanged and is available to be used again. 3 2 1 FIGURE 3-9 Dipeptides and Polypeptides Figure 3-8a shows how two amino acids bond to form a dipeptide (die-PEP-TIED). In this condensation reaction, the two amino acids form a covalent bond, called a peptide bond (shaded in blue in Figure 3-8a) and release a water molecule. Amino acids often form very long chains called polypeptides (PAHL-i-PEP-TIEDZ). Proteins are composed of one or more polypep- tides. Some proteins are very large molecules, containing hun- dreds of amino acids. Often, these long proteins are bent and folded upon themselves as a result of interactionsâsuch as hydrogen bondingâbetween individual amino acids. Protein shape can also be influenced by conditions such as temperature and the type of solvent in which a protein is dissolved. For exam- ple, cooking an egg changes the shape of proteins in the egg white. The firm, opaque result is very different from the initial clear, runny material. Enzymes EnzymesâRNA or protein molecules that act as biological catalystsâare essential for the functioning of any cell. Many enzymes are proteins. Figure 3-9 shows an induced fit model of enzyme action. Enzyme reactions depend on a physical fit between the enzyme molecule and its specific substrate, the reactant being catalyzed. Notice that the enzyme has folds, or an active site, with a shape that allows the substrate to fit into the active site. An enzyme acts only on a specific substrate because only that substrate fits into its active site. The linkage of the enzyme and substrate causes a slight change in the enzymeâs shape. The change in the enzymeâs shape weakens some chemical bonds in the substrate, which is one way that enzymes reduce activation energy, the energy needed to start the reaction. After the reaction, the enzyme releases the products. Like any catalyst, the enzyme itself is unchanged, so it can be used many times. An enzyme may not work if its environment is changed. For example, change in temperature or pH can cause a change in the shape of the enzyme or the substrate. If such a change happens, the reaction that the enzyme would have catalyzed cannot occur.