Biochemistry: Fundamentals and Bioenergetics

Meera Yadav, H.S Yadav

• Publisher: Bentham Science Publishers
• Year: 2021
• ISBN:
  9781681088471
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Biochemistry
• Index: Biological Sciences

Biochemistry: Fundamentals and Bioenergetics presents information about the basic andapplied aspects of the chemistry of living organisms. The textbook covers the scopeand importance of biochemistry, the latest physical techniques to determine biomolecularstructure, detailed classification, structure and function of biomolecules suchas carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, vitamins, enzymes and hormones. Readers will also learn aboutprocesses central to energy metabolism including photosynthesis andrespiration, oxidative phosphorylation, DNA replication, transcription andtranslation, recombinant DNA technology. Key Features- logical approach to biochemistry with several examples- 10 organizedchapters on biochemistry fundamentals and metabolism- focus onbiomolecules and biochemical processes - referencesfor further reading Biochemistry: Fundamentals and Bioenergetics is a useful textbook for undergraduatestudents involved in courses in life sciences, biochemistry and other branchesof natural sciences.

Structure and Function of Biological Biomolecules: Carbohydrates, Amino Acids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids, Lipids and Biomembranes

Nagendra Nath Yadav^{1, *}, Saroj Yadav², Archana Pareek¹

¹ Department of Chemistry, NERIST, Nirjuli, Itanagar-791109 (AP), India

² Delhi University, Benito Juarez Road, South Campus, South Moti Bagh, New Delhi-110021, India

Abstract

This chapter deals with the introduction, definition and classification of various biological molecules like carbohydrates, lipids and bio-membranes, amino acids, proteins and nucleic acids. The synthesis of carbohydrates, structure and function of monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides, absolute and relative configuration of sugar, reducing and non-reducing sugar, Fischer projection formula and Haworth projection formula are also briefly described. A brief knowledge about the type of fatty acids, acid value, soap value, various types of lipids, including phospholipids and sphingolipids, is also included. This unit also discusses the properties of various types of amino acids, proteins and nucleic acids, including structures of nucleoside, nucleotides, DNA and RNA.

Keywords: Carbohydrates, Nucleic acid, Nucleotide, Polypeptides, Proteins, Relative and absolute configuration.

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^* Corresponding author Nagendra Nath Yadav: Department of Chemistry, NERIST, Nirjuli, Itanagar-791109 (AP), India; E-mail:[email protected]

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates are biomolecules consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. They perform various important roles in living organisms. For example, some polysaccharides serve as storage of energy; the monosaccharide ribose is the backbone of RNA (genetic material) and is also an important component of coenzymes like ATP, NAD, FAD; the monosaccharide deoxyribose is the backbone of DNA [1]. Carbohydrates also play key roles in fertilization, immune system, blood clotting, etc.

In the human diet, the most important carbohydrates are starch and sugars which are found in a variety of foods, both natural and processed, for e.g. starch is avail-

able in cereals, potatoes and even in bread, pizza, pasta, etc. (shown in Fig. 1).

Initially, it was believed that the term carbohydrates refers to the “hydrates of carbon”, having general formula C_x(H₂O)_y, for e.g. glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆), cane-sugar (C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁), etc. But later, it was found that several carbohydrates do not follow the pattern given in the above formula, e.g. deoxyribose (C₅H₁₀O₄), rhamnose (C₆H₁₂O₅), glucosamine (C₆H₁₃O₅N). In recent days, carbohydrates are defined as “Polyhydroxy aldehydes or polyhydroxy ketones or substances that yield such compounds on hydrolysis”, known as carbohydrates [1], for e.g. glucose, fructose, galactose, etc.

Fig. (1))
Food rich in carbohydrates [2^-4] respectively.

Synthesis of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are synthesized in green plants by the process of photosynthesis. Green plants contain chlorophyll, which catalyses the conversion of carbon dioxide into sugar in the presence of water and sunlight [5]. The reaction involved in photosynthesis can be shown as follows:

Carbohydrates are degraded by animals using O₂, providing energy for their survival and releasing an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide.

Function of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates participate in a wide range of functions. Some of them are:

• They are the most abundant dietary source of energy for all organisms.
• They are the main precursors for most of the organic compounds, e.g. fats, amino acids.
• Carbohydrates, especially glycoproteins and glycolipids, participate in the structure of cell membrane and cellular functions like cell growth, etc.
• They provide energy and regulate blood glucose, sparing the use of protein for energy.
• They act as important structural units in plants.

Classification

Carbohydrates are also known as Saccharides (Greek: Sakkharon), which refer to the substances which are sweet in taste [1]. The classification of...

Table of contents

• Welcome
• Table of Content
• Title
• BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBLISHERS LTD.
• FOREWORD
• PREFACE
• List of Contributors
• Scope and Importance of Biological Chemistry
• Structure of Water: Acid-Base and Buffers; Hydrogen Bonding
• Electrostatic and Van Der Waals Forces
• Introduction To Physical Techniques for Determination of Structure of Biopolymers
• Structure and Function of Biological Biomolecules: Carbohydrates, Amino Acids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids, Lipids and Biomembranes
• Structure and Biological Function of Vitamins
• Enzymes (Biocatalyst)
• Hormones
• Fundamentals of Thermodynamics: Principle Applicable To Biological Processes
• Bioenergetics, Metabolism of Biomolecules, Photosynthesis and Respiration, Transcription and Translation, Recombinant DNA Technology