General Biology Notes Home Page

 

Proteins & Enzymes

I). Monomers & Polymers

        Monomer is 1 subunit type of an organic compound.

        Polymer is a series of monomers.

Organic Monomers and Polymers

 

Types of Organic Molecules

Monomers

Polymers

 

Carbohydrates

Simple Carbohydrates

or monocarbohydrates

(glucose)

Complex Carbohydrate

or polycarbohydrates

(starch)

 

Lipids

 

Fatty acids

Saturated fats

Polyunsaturated fats

Amino Acids

Amino Acids

Peptides & Proteins

Nucleic Acids

Nucleic Acids

DNA & RNA

II). Protein

                     Chains of amino acids linked by peptides bonds

        A).  amino acids.

 

B).  Fibrous and globular proteins

fibrous = structural proteins

globular  = functional proteins

                        

        C). Structure level of proteins:

                    i). Primary structure:  

                    ii). Secondary structure:  

                    iii). Tertiary structure: 

                    iv). Quaternary structure:  

Protein geometry

     

Proteins have a specific geometry

 

 

        D). Enzymes

Enzymes are globular proteins that act as biochemical catalysts.

They sometimes contain a non-protein part such as a metal (cofactor) or a vitamin (coenzyme)

lower the activation energy

Enzyme function

enzyme reactions

 i). The enzyme binds the substrate.

                         At a very specific active site

ii). The enzyme-substrate complex undergoes an internal change that forms the product

iii).  Releases the product;  free to attach to another substrate