Structure and function of biological macromolecules

Learning objectives

Describe dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis as the reactions that build and break polymers, and identify the monomer of carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids

Relate the structure of carbohydrates and lipids to their functions, including the branching of glycogen and starch, the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, and the amphipathic structure of phospholipids

Explain how the sequence of amino acids determines the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure of a protein, and how R-group interactions and the cellular environment determine the final shape

Explain why a change in protein shape, whether from a mutation or from a change in pH or temperature, changes protein function

Describe the directionality of nucleic acids from the 5′ to the 3′ end and relate the sequence of nucleotides to the information it carries