Chapter 5: The Structure and Function of Large Biological Molecules

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to the structure and function of large biological molecules, as discussed in the lecture notes.

Macromolecules

Large biological molecules, including carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids, that are critical to all living things.

Polymers

Long molecules consisting of many similar building blocks called monomers.

Monomers

Small, single units that can join together to form polymers through condensation reactions.

Dehydration Reaction

A reaction that removes a water molecule, forming a new bond and building up polymers.

Hydrolysis

The process of adding a water molecule to break down polymers into monomers.

Polysaccharides

Polymers of sugars with storage and structural roles, composed of many sugar building blocks.

Glycosidic Linkage

A covalent bond formed between two monosaccharides during dehydration synthesis.

Cellulose

A structural polysaccharide that is a major component of the tough cell walls of plants.

Chitin

A structural polysaccharide found in the exoskeletons of arthropods and cell walls of fungi.

Lipids

A diverse group of hydrophobic molecules that do not form polymers, including fats, phospholipids, and steroids.

Fatty Acids

Building blocks of fats, which can be saturated (no double bonds) or unsaturated (one or more double bonds).

Phospholipids

Lipids that consist of two fatty acids and a phosphate group, forming the bilayer of cell membranes.

Proteins

Biological macromolecules composed of one or more polypeptide chains, performing a variety of functions.

Enzymes

Proteins that act as catalysts to speed up chemical reactions.

Polypeptides

Polymers of amino acids linked by peptide bonds, forming the structure of proteins.

Amino Acids

Organic molecules that serve as the building blocks of proteins, with 20 different types used in protein synthesis.

Denaturation

The loss of a protein’s native structure, rendering it biologically inactive.

Nucleic Acids

Polymers made of nucleotide monomers, including DNA and RNA, which store and transmit hereditary information.

Antiparallel

The arrangement of the two backbones of a DNA double helix which run in opposite 5' to 3' directions.