| Term | Definition |
|---|
| lipids | Macromolecules made mainly from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms; includes fats, oils, and waxes; used for long-term storage of energy and carbon, and for building structural parts of cell membranes; fatty acids and glycerol make up the simple fats most common in our diets (p. 46). |
| triglycerides | Lipids containing a glycerol molecule attached to three fatty acid chains; chemical form in which most fats exist in food and in the body (p. 46). |
| unsaturated fat | A lipid made from fatty acids that have at least one double bond between carbon atoms; tend to be oily liquids at room temperature; found in plants (p. 47). |
| saturated fat | a lipid made from fatty acids that have no double bonds between carbon atoms; tend to be solid at room temperature; found in animals (p. 46). |
| phospholipid | A lipid made of a phosphate group and two fatty acids; consists of a hydrophilic polar head and two non-polar hydrophobic tails; forms cell membranes. |
| steroids | Many of this type of lipid serve as chemical messengers or as parts of the cell membrane; examples include cholesterol, testosterone, and estrogen (p. 46). |
| cerumen | A soft yellow wax secreted by glands in the ear canal; ear wax; an example of wax--a type of lipid. |
| protein | Macromolecule that contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen; needed by the body for growth, repair, and to make up enzymes; a polymer made of amino acids (p. 47). |
| amino acids | Compounds with an amino group (-NHâ‚‚) on one end and a carboxyl group (-COOH) on the other end; the monomers that make up a protein (p. 47). |
| enzyme | A protein that is used as a catalyst (speeds up a chemical reaction) (p. 48). |
| peptide bond | A covalent bond between the acid group of one molecule and the amino group of another. |
| primary structure | The sequence of amino acids in a protein chain (p. 48). |
| secondary structure | The twisting or folding of the amino acids within a protein chain (p. 48). |
| tertiary structure | The folding of the protein chain itself; the 3 dimensional folded structure of a protein. (p. 48). |
| quaternary structure | The specific arrangement of a protein consisting of more than one chain (p. 48). |
| nucleic acids | Polymers assembled from individual nucleotides; used to store and transmit hereditary, or genetic, information; the two kinds of nucleic acids are ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) (p. 47). |
| nucleotide | Monomer that makes up nucleic acids; consists of three parts: a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base (p. 47). |
| DNA | Forms the genes; in eukaryotic cells it is found in the cell nucleus and mitochondria; codes for proteins. |
| RNA | Works with DNA to carry out instructions of the genetic code; found in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and ribosomes. |
| adenine | Nitrogen base that pairs with thymine. |
| thymine | Nitrogen base that pairs with adenine. |
| cytosine | Nitrogen base that pairs with guanine. |
| guanine | Nitrogen base that pairs with cystosine. |
| uracil | Nitrogen base that pairs with adenine in RNA. |
| mRNA | Carries the genetic code for a protein from the nucleus to the ribosomes where the proteins are assembled. |
| semi-conservative replication | Each half of an original DNA molecule serves as a templete for a new strand, and the two new DNA molecules each have one old and one new strand. |
| mitochondria | The organelles in which nutrients are converted to energy (ATP). |
| ribosome | Small particle of RNA and protein that produces protein following instructions from the nucleus. |
| hydrophilic | Water-loving. |
| hydrophobic | Water-hating. |
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