The Structure and Function of Large Biological Molecules

Vocabulary flashcards based on the structure and function of large biological molecules, including definitions of key terms and concepts.

Macromolecule

A large polymer consisting of many similar building blocks, known as monomers.

Polymer

A long molecule composed of many similar or identical building blocks (monomers).

Monomer

The repeating units that serve as building blocks for polymers.

Dehydration reaction

A chemical reaction that builds polymers by removing water from the reactants.

Hydrolysis reaction

A chemical reaction that breaks down polymers by adding water.

Carbohydrates

Biological macromolecules that serve as fuel and building materials; composed of sugar monomers.

Monosaccharide

The simplest form of carbohydrate, typically with the formula CnH2nOn; examples include glucose.

Disaccharide

A carbohydrate composed of two monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic linkage.

Polysaccharide

Carbohydrate macromolecules that are polymers composed of many sugar building blocks.

Glycosidic linkage

The covalent bond formed between monosaccharides during the synthesis of a disaccharide or polysaccharide.

Starch

A storage polysaccharide in plants, composed entirely of glucose monomers.

Glycogen

A storage polysaccharide in animals, primarily found in liver and muscle cells.

Cellulose

A structural polysaccharide that forms the tough wall of plant cells; consists of β-glucose monomers.

Chitin

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

Lipids

A diverse group of hydrophobic molecules that include fats, phospholipids, and steroids.

Triacylglycerol

A fat composed of three fatty acids bonded to glycerol by ester linkages.

Saturated fatty acids

Fatty acids that have the maximum number of hydrogen atoms and no double bonds.

Unsaturated fatty acids

Fatty acids that contain one or more double bonds, leading to kinks in their structure.

Phospholipid

A lipid consisting of two fatty acids and a phosphate group attached to glycerol; forms bilayers in cell membranes.

Protein

Biological macromolecules made from one or more polypeptides, which serve various functions in the cell.

Amino acid

Organic molecules that serve as the building blocks of proteins, characterized by an amino group and a carboxyl group.

Peptide bond

The covalent bond formed between two amino acids during protein synthesis.

Denaturation

The process where proteins lose their structure due to alterations in pH, temperature, or other environmental factors.

Nucleic acid

Polymers made of nucleotide monomers that store, transmit, and help express hereditary information; include DNA and RNA.

Gene

A unit of inheritance programmed in DNA that dictates the sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide.

Nucleotide

The monomers that make up nucleic acids, consisting of a nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar, and a phosphate group.

DNA

A nucleic acid that provides directions for its own replication and directs the synthesis of mRNA.

RNA

A nucleic acid that plays various roles in gene expression, including serving as a template for protein synthesis.