| Term | Definition |
|---|
| macromolecule(s) | giant molecule formed by the joining of smaller molecules |
| polymer | long molecule consisting of many similar building blocks linked by covalent bonds |
| monomer(s) | repeating units of polymers |
| dehydration reaction | reaction where monomers connect to each other through the loss of a water molecule |
| hydrolysis | reaction where polymers are disassembled into monomers by the addition of water molecules |
| carbohydrate(s) | a sugar (monosaccharide) or a polymer of sugar (polysaccharides) |
| monosaccharide(s) | simplest carbohydrate |
| disaccharide(s) | double sugar; consists of two monosaccahrides joined together by dehydration synthesis |
| glycosidic linkage | covalent bond formed between two monosaccharides by a dehydration reaction |
| polysaccharide(s) | polymers with many monosaccharides joined by glycosidic linkages |
| starch | storage polysaccharide of plants |
| glycogen | storage polysaccharide of animals |
| cellulose | polysaccharide; major component of tough walls that enclose plant cells |
| chitin | carbohydrate used by arthropods to build their exoskeletons |
| lipid(s) | compounds that have little or no affinity for water |
| fat | lipid constructed from glycerol and fatty acids |
| fatty acid | molecule with a long carbon skeleton (H - C - H) |
| triacylglycerol | fat consisting of three fatty acids linked to one glycerol molecule |
| saturated | type of fatty acid where there are no double bonds between carbon atoms such that the maximum amount of hydrogen atoms are bonded to the carbon skeleton |
| unsaturated | type of fatty acid where there is a double bond between two carbon atoms |
| phospholipid(s) | lipid consisting of two fatty acids attached to glycerol (main component of biological membranes) |
| steroid(s) | lipid characterized by a carbon skeleton consisting of four fused rings |
| cholesterol | type of steroid; common component of animal cell membranes |
| enzyme(s) | regulate proteins by acting as catalysts |
| amino acid(s) | organic molecule that make up the building blocks of proteins |
| polypeptide(s) | polymers of amino acids |
| protein(s) | one or more polypeptides folded into a specific conformation |
| peptide bond | covalent bond between two amino acid units formed by a dehydration reaction |
| primary structure | unique sequence of amino acids in a protein |
| secondary structure | coiling and folding of polypeptide chains |
| tertiary structure | overall shape of a polypeptide |
| quaternary structure | overall protein structure that results from multiple polypeptide subunits |
| denaturation | when a protein loses its native conformation and is unable to properly function |
| chaperonin(s) | protein molecules that assist the proper folding of other proteins |
| x-ray crystallography | important method used to determine a protein's three-dimension structure |
| nucleic acid(s) | branch of macromolecules that store and transmit hereditary information |
| gene | unit of inheritance that programs the amino acid sequences of proteins |
| polynucleotide(s) | polymer of nucleotides |
| nucleotide(s) | building blocks of nucleic acids |
| DNA | nucleic acid molecule capable in determining and replicating inherited structure of a cell's protein |
| RNA | nucleic acid molecule that functions in protein synthesis |
Combine with other sets
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