Cell Biology and Biochemistry Review

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key topics from the notes.

Features of living organisms

Chemical complexity and microscopic organization

extract, transform, and use energy

defined functions & regulated interactions

sense & respond to environment

self-replicate

evolve & adapt as a species.

Three domains of life

Bacteria

Archaea

Eukarya

Major features of prokaryotic cells

Small (1–10 μm)

single-celled (Bacteria & Archaea)

flagella for mobility; pili for adhesion

Major features of eukaryotic cells

Large (5–100 μm)

mostly multicellular (protists, fungi, plants, animals)

dynamic outer membrane

cytoplasm & cytosol; organelles (membrane-enclosed)

Actin filaments

6 nm

G-actin

Microtubules

23 nm

tubulin

Intermediate filaments

10 nm

keratin

Miller-Urey experiment

Demonstrated that amino acids and other organic molecules can be produced under simulated primitive Earth conditions.

Probably not H2 though (HCN instead)

Major elemental composition of animal cells

99% of mass is H, C, N, and O

Why is carbon central to life

strong covalent bonds

bonds with up to 4 other atoms

bonds with H, S, P

double bonds with O, N

enables vast diversity of biomolecules

109.5

Gibbs free energy (G)

The amount of energy available in a reaction at constant temperature and pressure.

Enthalpy (H) and entropy (S)

Enthalpy (H): heat content of a system, depends on bonds; Entropy (S): measure of randomness/disorder.

Gibbs free energy equation

ΔG = ΔH − TΔS.

Anabolism

Biosynthetic pathways that build molecules, requiring energy input (e.g., protein synthesis).

Catabolism

Metabolic pathways that break down molecules, releasing energy (e.g., ATP → ADP + Pi).

Nucleic acids (DNA, RNA)

Store and transmit genetic information; nucleotides polymerize into DNA/RNA.

Proteins

Provide structure, catalysis, regulation; composed of amino acids; diverse functions.

Lipids

Form membranes and store energy; hydrophobic molecules; phospholipids form bilayers.

Polysaccharides

Store energy (starch, glycogen); provide structural support (cellulose, chitin); participate in surface recognition via glycans.

Domain: Bacteria

Prokaryotic with no nucleus; simple cells; includes many bacteria.

Domain: Archaea

Prokaryotic with no nucleus; distinct biochemistry; often extremophiles.

Domain: Eukarya

Cells with a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles; includes plants, animals, fungi, protists.

Nucleoid

Region in prokaryotes where genetic material is located; not membrane-bound.

Pili

Thin, hair-like appendages on prokaryotes for adhesion and genetic exchange in some species.

Flagella

Motor-like structures for locomotion in many bacteria and archaea.

Cytoskeleton (general)

Network of protein filaments providing structure, organization, and movement inside cells.

Bacteria and Archaea are prokaryotes without a ____

nuclear membrane

Eukarya have cells with a ___

nuclear membrane

cell envelope (plasma membrane + outer layers)

layers can be different for different organisms

formed from membranes and peptidoglycans

cytoplasm

enclosed by plasma membrane

cytosol

aqueous solution containing biomolecules

nucleoid

genetic material, no membrane

cytoskeleton

made of protein

provides structure and organization

nucleus

contains genetic material and enclosed by a membrane

perixisome

oxidizes fatty acidsl

lysosome

degrades intracellular debris

golgi complex

processes, packages, and targets proteins to other organelles or for export

Smooth ER

lipid synthesis/drug metabolism

nucleolus

site of ribosomal RNA synthesis

Rough ER

protein synthesis

mitochondria

oxidizes fuels to produce ATP

Chloroplast

harvests sunlight

produces ATP and carbs

Vacuole

degrades and recycles macromolecules, stores metabolites (Starch)

cytoskeleton

protein filaments forming a meshwork

dynamic

protein filaments

dont require a lot of energy

composed of protein monomers bound noncovalently

provide shape and organization, movement

cell division

cytoskeleton reorganizes cellular components to be divided between daughters

most H & O are in ___

water

carbon makes up roughly ___ of the cell’s dry weight.

half

men have more __ than women

iron

Mass % of Oxygen

65%

Mass % of Carbon

18%

Mass % of Hydrogen

10%

Mass % of Nitrogen

3%

Mass % of Calcium

1.5%

Mass % of Phosphorus

1.2%

Mass % of P, S, and Cl

0.2%

Mass % of Mg

0.05%

Molecular mass % of water

65%

molecular mass % of protein

20%

molecular mass % of lipids

12%

molecular mass % of other organic molecules

0.4%

molecular mass % of RNA

1.0%

molecular mass % of DNA

0.1%

Nucleic acids (DNA, RNA)

store & transmit info

Proteins

provide structure & catalysis

Lipids

form membranes & store energy

Polysaccharides

store energy, provide structure, and surface recognition

lower limit to make proteins is determined by the

size of required biomolecules

the upper limit is determined by

the rate of diffusion of water

water has a finite speed,

it defines how big a cell is

if a cell is too big it cant

communicate fast