Biochemistry and Cellular Composition Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the elemental composition of living matter versus the Earth's crust, secondary metabolites, cellular chemical composition, protein functions, and enzyme classification based on the provided lecture notes.

Oxygen (O)

An element that comprises $46.6\%$ of the Earth's crust and $65.0\%$ of the human body by weight.

Carbon (C)

An element that makes up $0.03\%$ of the Earth's crust and $18.5\%$ of the human body by weight.

Silicon (Si)

An element that accounts for $27.7\%$ of the Earth's crust but is negligible in the human body.

Alkaloids

A category of secondary metabolites that includes Morphine and Codeine.

Toxins

Secondary metabolites produced by living tissues, such as Abrin and Ricin.

Lectins

A group of secondary metabolites, specifically identifying Concanavalin A.

Drugs (Secondary Metabolites)

Chemical substances like Vinblastine and curcumin derived from living organisms.

Water (Cellular Composition)

The most abundant component of a cell, making up $70-90\%$ of the total cellular mass.

Proteins (Cellular Composition)

Organic compounds that represent $10-15\%$ of the average composition of cells.

Nucleic acids (Cellular Composition)

Components that make up $5-7\%$ of the total cellular mass.

Collagen

A protein that serves the function of an intercellular ground substance.

Antibody

A protein that fights infectious agents.

Receptor

A protein responsible for sensory reception, including smell, taste, and hormone recognition.

GLUT-4

A specialized protein that enables glucose transport into cells.

Oxidoreductases/dehydrogenases

Enzymes that catalyse oxidoreduction between two substrates $S$ and $S'$ (e.g., $S \text{ reduced} + S' \text{ oxidised} \rightarrow S \text{ oxidised} + S' \text{ reduced}$).

Transferases

Enzymes catalysing a transfer of a group, $G$ (other than hydrogen), between a pair of substrates $S$ and $S'$.

Hydrolases

Enzymes that catalyse the hydrolysis of ester, ether, peptide, glycosidic, C-C, C-halide, or P-N bonds.

Lyases

Enzymes that catalyse the removal of groups from substrates by mechanisms other than hydrolysis, leaving double bonds.

Isomerases

Enzymes that catalyse the inter-conversion of optical, geometric, or positional isomers.

Ligases

Enzymes catalysing the linking together of 2 compounds, specifically joining bonds such as C-O, C-S, C-N, and P-O.

Palmitic acid

A common fatty acid found in living tissues.

Lecithin

A type of phospholipid found in living tissues.

Adenine

A nitrogen base classified as a Purine.

Uracil

A nitrogen base classified as a Pyrimidine.

Adenylic acid

A specific molecule categorized as a Nucleotide.

Adenosine

A molecule formed from a nitrogen base and sugar, categorized as a Nucleoside.