AP BIO UNIT 3

Dehydration Synthesis

anabolic chemical reaction; 2 monomers are covalently bonded together with the simultaneous removal of water molecules

Hydrolysis

catabolic process; breaks covalent bond between monomers with a polymer; chemical addition of water molecules

Enzyme

specialized protein; biological catalyst; speeds up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy

Carbohydrate

macromolecule composed of C, H, O; functions in short-term energy storage and structural support

Monosaccharide

monomer unit of carbohydrates; single simple sugar molecule, serves as a primary energy source

Disaccharide

carbohydrate dimer composed of 2 monosaccharides joined together by a covalent linkage formed via dehydration synthesis

Polysaccharide

Carbohydrate polymer consisting of long chains of monosaccharides; functions either as an energy storage or structural support

Glycerol

a 3 carbon alcohol molecule that serves as the structural backbone for constructing triglycerides and phospholipids

Phospholipid

made of a glycerol backbone bound to 2 hydrophobic fatty acid tails and a highly hydrophilic, negatively charged phosphate head; forms the foundational bilayer of cell membranes

Steroid

type of lipid characterized by a carbon skeleton integrated into 4 fused rings; functions primarily as signaling molecules or hormones

Cholesterol

specific steroid molecule embedded within the hydrophobic core of animal cell membranes; regulates membrane fluidity across varying temperatures

Protein

macromolecule consisting of one or more polypeptide chains folded into a specific, highly organized 3D conformation

Peptide Bond

covalent bond formed via hydration synthesis; links the carboxyl group of one amino acid to the amino acid of the adjacent amino acid

Polypeptide

continuous, unbranched linear polymer sequence of amino acids joined together by peptide bonds

Amino Acid

monomer subunit of proteins; consists of a central carbon bonded to an amino group, a carboxyl group, a hydrogen atom, and a variable R group; dictates chemical behavior

Denaturation

process where a protein loses its native 3D conformation due to external stress, rendering it biologically inactive; goes back to primary structure

Nucleic Acids

polymers composed of nucleotide monomers; specialize in storing, transmitting, and expressing genetic information

Nucleotide

monomer unit of nucleic Acids; structurally composed of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base

Double Helix

structural conformation of native DNA; consists of 2 polynucleotide strands coiled around a central axis and held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary nitrogenous base pairs

Antiparallel

structural orientation of 2 complementary strands in a DNA double helix; strands run in opposite directions alongside one another

Functional Group

a specific configuration of atoms attached to the carbon skeleton; dictates an organic molecules properties

Monomer

subunit/chemical building block; serves as the repeating unit used to build larger macromolecules via covalent bonds

Polymer

consists of multiple identical or similar monomers; linked together in a chain by covalent bonds

Lipid

diverse class of hydrophobic, non-polar macromolecules; does not have a true monomer subunit

Fatty Acid

Hydrocarbon chain capped with a carboxyl functional group; can be saturated or unsaturated