Macromolecules and Polymers Lecture

A comprehensive vocabulary review of the four major macromolecules, their structures, functions, and the chemical reactions that build and break them.

Macromolecules

Large biological molecules that include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Monomer

An individual smaller piece that serves as a building block for polymers.

Polymer

A large molecule made of multiple individual monomers coming together.

Dehydration reaction

A synthesis reaction where molecules are joined together to build polymer chains by losing a water molecule ($H_2O$).

Hydrolysis

A process where a larger polymer is broken into smaller monomer pieces by adding water ($\text{lysis}$ means to break, and $\text{hydro}$ means water).

Amino acids

The monomer building blocks of proteins, consisting of an amino group, a carboxyl group, an alpha carbon, and a variable side group (r group).

Peptide linkage

The covalent bond that links amino acids together into a chain.

Enzymes

Proteins that serve the function of running or speeding up chemical reactions.

Essential amino acids

Amino acids that the human body does not make and must be consumed through food, such as tryptophan or lysine.

Primary structure

The first level of protein structure consisting of the sequence of amino acids linked by covalent peptide bonds.

Secondary structure

Protein folding created by hydrogen bonding that forms alpha helixes and beta pleated sheets.

Tertiary structure

Continued folding of a single amino acid chain held together by covalent bonds, ionic bonds, or disulfide bonds.

Quaternary structure

The protein structure formed when multiple folded subunits (tertiary chains) interact with one another.

Denature

When a protein falls out of its proper shape and loses its ability to function due to environmental factors like temperature, pH, or salinity.

Active site

The specific area on an enzyme where a substrate binds, often following a lock and key fit.

Prions

Disease-causing proteins that are denatured versions of normal proteins, leading to a chain reaction of unfolding, such as in Mad Cow disease.

Monosaccharide

The basic monomer of carbohydrates or sugars.

Disaccharide

A carbohydrate formed by bringing two sugar monomers together, such as maltose, sucrose, or cellulose.

Polysaccharide

A carbohydrate polymer made of hundreds to thousands of monomers, such as starch or glycogen.

Cellulose

A structural carbohydrate polymer found in plants that has a linear arrangement.

Glycogen

A highly branched carbohydrate polymer found in humans used for energy storage.

Amphipathic

A molecule that is both hydrophilic (water-loving) and hydrophobic (water-fearing) at the same time.

Triglyceride

A type of lipid consisting of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol.

Saturated fats

Fats with linear fatty acid tails that are completely bound to hydrogen atoms.

Unsaturated fats

Fats containing double bonds in their fatty acid tails, meaning they are not saturated in hydrogens and often have 'kinks' in their shape.

Nucleotide

The monomer of nucleic acids, consisting of a five-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen-containing base.

Central Dogma

The biological framework describing how gene expression coordinates activities from DNA to RNA to protein.

Transcription

The process of moving genetic information from DNA to RNA.

Translation

The process of moving from the 'language' of nucleic acids (RNA) to the 'language' of proteins (amino acids).

Base pairing

The specific matching of nitrogenous bases in DNA where Adenine (A) pairs with Thymine (T) and Guanine (G) pairs with Cytosine (C).