molecules of life
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Created by:
jkennedy09 on September 21, 2011
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38 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 macromolecules | giant molecules of life, made of polymers and monomers |
| polymer | long molecule chain of many similar or identical subunits linked together |
| monomer | similar or identical subunits that repeat |
| carbs, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids | four categories of macromolecules |
| water | when polymers are made, what is removed? |
| dehydration synthesis | polymers are formed by this, when a water molecule is removed and two monomers are joined |
| hydrolysis | reaction when molecules are broken apart and water is added (literally, water breaking) |
| carbohydrates | polymers, made of monosaccharides, composed of only C, H, and O; sugars and starches |
| glucose, fructose, galactose | three types of carbs that are monosaccharides |
| sucrose, maltose, lactose | three types of carbs that are disaccharides |
| polysaccharides | chains of monosaccharides that store energy or provide structure; starch for plants, glycogen for animals |
| starch, glycogen, cellulose | three types of carbs that are polysaccharides |
| lipids | Water-insoluble molecules made of C, H, and O; store long term energy, protect vital organs, form cell membranes |
| fats, phospholipids, steroids | three categories of lipids |
| triglyceride | large molecule made of one molecule of glycerol and three fatty acids; not a polymer because made up of two distinct types of subunits, glycerol and fatty acids; ex is fats and oils |
| dehydration synthesis (lipids) | fatty acids bond to glycerol through this process |
| unsaturated triglycerides (fats) | when there are double bonds between carbon atoms in fatty acids |
| saturated triglycerides (fats) | when there are no double bonds between carbon atoms in fatty acids |
| trans fats | trans double bond, when the H's are on opposite sides (RARE), does not bend |
| fat | functions of this are energy storage, cushions vital organs, and thermal insulation (blubber) |
| phospholipid molecules | molecules in lipids that contain a glycerol head that is polar and water soluble (hydrophilic)and a fatty acid tail that is nonpolar and water insoluble (hydrophobic) |
| steroid | cholesterol, estrogen, and testosterone are examples of a ... |
| proteins | molecules made of amino acids, consist of a central carbon atom and many other random things; provide structure, transport, and movement for the body |
| peptide bonds | bonds that link amino acids that form proteins, and happens during dehydration synthesis |
| peptides | chains of only a few amino acids |
| polypeptides | chains of 10 or more amino acids |
| primary, secondary, tertiary, quanternary | four levels of structure within proteins that affect their function in the body |
| primary | specific sequence of amino acids is the ... structure of protein |
| secondary | helix sequence of amino acids that results from bending and coiling of chain is the ... structure of protein |
| tertiary | three dimensional shape of amino acids is the ... structure of protein |
| denaturation | when heat or chemicals disrupt protein structure, and they lose conformation and become inactive; sometimes reversible, sometimes not |
| enzymes | special group of proteins that serve as catalysts for chemical reactions; if not for these, chemical reactions in cells would occur far too slowly to sustain life |
| enzyme-substrate complex | when enzymes bind to substrates at a specific active site |
| deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) | genes that are segments of polymers; a type of nucleic acid (the other being RNA) |
| nucleotides | DNA and RNA are polymers of these smaller units; made up of five-carbon sugar bonded to one of five nitrogen-containing bases and a phosphate group |
| RNA | single stranded, sugar = ribose, has nitrogenous bases adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil |
| DNA | two strands form double helix, sugar = deoxyribose, has nitrogenous bases adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine |
| ATP (adenosine triphosphate) | special nucleotide, molecule capable of storing energy in its phosphate-to-phosphate bonds; all energy from breakdown of molecules must be channeled through ATP before body can use it; "energy currency of cells" |
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