Chemistry of Life - Organic Compounds and Macromolecules

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts, functional groups, reactions, carbohydrates, lipids, and protein structural levels from Chapter 2 Chemistry of Life lecture notes.

Organic Compounds

Chemical compounds containing carbon, which constitute the primary structural and functional molecules of life.

Functional Group

A specific group of atoms attached to a carbon skeleton that determines the chemical reactivity and functional characteristics of an organic molecule.

Hydroxyl Group

A functional group represented as $-OH$, occurring commonly in sugars and alcohols.

Methyl Group

A hydrophobic functional group represented as $-CH_3$, occurring in fats, oils, steroids, and amino acids.

Carboxyl Group

An acidic functional group represented as $-COOH$, found in amino acids, sugars, and proteins.

Amino Group

A nitrogen-containing functional group represented as $-NH_2$, found in amino acids and proteins.

Phosphate Group

An acidic functional group represented as $-H_2PO_4$, occurring in nucleic acids and ATP.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

A nucleotide composed of an adenine base, a ribose sugar, and three phosphate groups, serving as the central energy transfer molecule in cells.

Polymer

A large molecule formed from a repetitive series of identical or similar monomer subunits.

Dehydration Synthesis

Also known as condensation, a chemical reaction mechanism that joins monomers together into polymers by removing a water molecule.

Hydrolysis

A cleavage reaction that breaks down a polymer into individual monomers through the addition of a water molecule ($H^+ + OH^-$).

Monosaccharides

Simple single-sugar monomers with the general empirical formula $(CH_2O)_n$ and molecular formula $C_6H_{12}O_6$, including glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Disaccharides

Sugars composed of two monosaccharide units joined together, such as sucrose, lactose, and maltose.

Glycogen

A branched polysaccharide stored in animal tissues, composed of long chains of glucose monomers.

Starch

An energy-storing polysaccharide in plants composed of a polymer of approximately $3{,}000$ glucose monomers.

Cellulose

A structural polysaccharide forming plant cell walls, which humans cannot digest.

Glycoproteins

Conjugated carbohydrates covalently linked to proteins that serve as a major component of mucus.

Proteoglycans

Macromolecules composed of carbohydrate and protein that hold cells and tissues together and function as gelatinous fillers in joints and the eye.

Triglyceride Synthesis

The condensation reaction linking one glycerol molecule to three fatty acid chains through dehydration synthesis.

Phospholipids

Amphipathic lipids consisting of a nitrogen-containing choline head, a phosphate group, glycerol, and two fatty acid tails, serving as major cell membrane constituents.

Cholesterol

A natural steroid lipid found exclusively in animal products, serving as a structural component of cell membranes and a precursor for other steroids.

Steroid Core Structure

The characteristic four-ringed carbon structure common to all steroid molecules.

Radical (R) Group

The variable side chain attached to the central carbon of an amino acid that confers unique biological properties to each of the $20$ standard amino acids.

Peptide Bond

A covalent bond joining the carboxyl group of one amino acid to the amino group of another via dehydration synthesis.

Primary Structure

The linear sequence of amino acids joined together by peptide bonds in a polypeptide chain.

Secondary Structure

The localized regular folding of a polypeptide chain into an $\alpha$ helix or $\beta$ sheet maintained by hydrogen bonds.

Tertiary Structure

The complete three-dimensional folding and coiling of a polypeptide chain into globular or fibrous shapes driven by R group interactions.

Quaternary Structure

The structural level formed when two or more independent polypeptide chains associate into a functional protein complex.

Keratin

A fibrous structural protein that provides strength to skin, hair, and nails.