Basic Plant BioChemistry Chapter 1

Elements and Atoms

• Matter: Anything that takes up space
• Element: Substance composed of one type of atom
• Atom: Smallest unit of an element that keeps the chemical and physical properties of that element
• Neutron: Atomic particle with one mass unit and no charge
• Proton: Atomic particle with one mass unit and a positive charge
• Electron: Atomic particle with a negative charge and "no" mass

Chemical Bonding and Molecules

• Atoms want to fill their outer shells with electrons
• Chemical reactions enable atoms to give up or get electrons to complete their outer shells
• Interactions between outer shells of atoms = chemical bonds

Types of Bonds

• Ionic Bonds: Formed between oppositely charged ions (transfer of electrons)
• Covalent Bonds: Formed when two atoms share one or more pairs of outer-shell electrons
• The number of covalent bonds an atom can potentially form = number of additional electrons needed to fill its outer shell

Introduction to Plant Biochemistry

• Definition: Plant biochemistry is the study of molecular basis of plant life, including the synthesis and utilization of compounds in the life process of plants (growth & development)
• Biochemistry impacts:
  • Medicine
  • Agriculture
  • Industrial applications
  • Environmental applications
• Principle areas of biochemistry:
  • Structure and function of biological macromolecules
  • Metabolism – anabolic and catabolic processes
  • Molecular Genetics – How life is replicated
  • Regulation of protein synthesis

Biomolecules

• Types of biomolecules:
  • Carbohydrates
  • Lipids
  • Proteins
  • Nucleic acids
• Many biomolecules are complex molecules called polymers, made up of monomeric subunits
• Biochemical molecules are principally based on carbon

Carbohydrates

• Most abundant biomolecules on Earth
• Range in sizes, from simple monosaccharides (sugars) to oligosaccharides, to polysaccharides
• Composed of carbon and water with a composition of (CH2O)n
• Found mainly in foods from plant sources, such as fruits, vegetables, grain products, dry beans, etc.
• Synthesised in green plants through photosynthesis
• Main role of carbohydrates in nature:
  • Provide energy
  • Store energy in the form of starch (in plants) and glycogen (in animals and humans)
  • Supply carbon for synthesis of other biomolecules

Learn about the basics of plant biochemistry, covering elements, atoms, neutrons, protons, electrons, and chemical bonding