Flashcards: Structure and Function of Large Biological Molecules

A giant molecule formed by the joining of smaller molecules, usually by a dehydration reaction: a protein, carbohydrate, or nucleic acid. (these are all polymers) NOT LIPIDS

long molecule consisting of many similar/identical monomers linked by covalent bonds (carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids. NOT LIPIDS)

A simple compound whose molecules can join together to form polymers

Catalysts for chemical reactions in living things. Increases rate of reaction w/ out being consumed by the reaction.

chemical reaction where two molecules become covalently bonded and lose a H2O molecule (monomer to polymer)

chemical reaction that breaks bonds between two molecules by the addition of an H2O molecule (polymer to monomer)

sugars and polymers of sugars

monomers of sugars (carbohydrates), simple sugars. Ex: glucose, fructose, galactose

Carbohydrates that are made up of two monosaccharides (sucrose, lactose, maltose)

Carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides (storage for sugar, building material)

A storage polysaccharide in plants that stores glucose

An extensively branched glucose storage polysaccharide found in the liver and muscle of animals; the animal equivalent of starch.

A substance (made of sugars) that is common in the cell walls of many organisms

A structural polysaccharide, consisting of amino sugar monomers, found in many fungal cell walls and in the exoskeletons of all arthropods (bugs)

Energy-rich organic compounds, such as fats, oils, and waxes, that are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and mix poorly with H2O (fats, phospholipids, steroids)

lipids consisting of 3 fatty acids linked to one glycerol molecule (store energy)

A fatty acid possessing one or more double bonds between the carbons in the hydrocarbon tail. (reduces number of H+) (ex: fish oil)

all carbons connected by single bonds which maximizes the number of H+ (ex: butter)

An unsaturated fat, formed artificially during hydrogenation of oils, containing one or more trans double bonds. (somewhat dangerous bc we can't always digest them?)

A molecule that is a constituent of the inner bilayer of biological membranes, having a polar, hydrophilic head and a nonpolar, hydrophobic tail.

lipids characterized by a carbon skeleton consisting of four fused rings (hydrophobic!) (some hormones)

A lipid that forms an essential component of animal cell membranes and acts as a precursor molecule for the synthesis of other biologically important steroids.

An organic compound that is made of one or more chains of amino acids and that is a principal component of all cells

covalent bond formed between amino acids, covalent, formed by dehydration synthesis

long chain (polymer) of amino acids that makes proteins

organic molecule w/ amino and carboxyl groups (monomers of polypeptides)

the sequence of amino acids (structure of proteins)

The way in which the chain of amino acids of the polypeptides of a protein is folded. (structure of proteins)

Defined by the hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions between R groups of amino acid chains. (structure of proteins)

A number of polypeptide chains linked together, and sometimes associated with non-protein groups to form a protein. (two tertiary structures)

proteins loses its shape due to chemical bond disruptions. (can take place with changes to pH, salt concentration, temperature, or exposure to toxic compounds)

protein molecule complexes that assist with the proper folding of other proteins

polymers consisting of many nucleotide monomers, blueprint for proteins (DNA and RNA)

A segment of DNA on a chromosome (specific nucleotide sequence) that codes for a specific trait

A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes. (double stranded helix, Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, Thymine are nitrogenous bases)

A type of nucleic acid consisting of nucleotide monomers with a ribose sugar and the nitrogenous bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and uracil (U); usually single-stranded; functions in protein synthesis and as the genome of some viruses.

A type of RNA, synthesized from DNA and attached to ribosomes in the cytoplasm; (directs polypeptide production)

The process by which information encoded in DNA directs the synthesis of proteins or, in some cases, RNAs that are not translated into proteins and instead function as RNAs.

monomer of nucleic acids made up of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base (building blocks of nucleic acids)

type of nitrogenous base w/ six membered ring (Cytosine, Thymine, Uracil)

type of nitrogenous base w/ six membered ring fused to a five membered ring (Adenine and Guanine) (use "Pure As Gold" to remember)

The opposite arrangement of the sugar-phosphate backbones in a DNA double helix. (5' to 3')