Studied by 52 people
a compilation of key terms and concepts from topic 2
metabolism
all chemical reactions that take place within cells and organisms
anabolism
the building of large molecules from smaller molecules
catabolism
the breaking down of large molecules into smaller ones
water dipolarity
a weak negatively charged region on the oxygen atom and a weak positively charged region on the hydrogen atom
role of water as a solvent
allows chemical reactions to occur and a transport medium
role of water with a high specific heat capacity
allows water to be a suitable habitat and maintain optimal temperatures within cells and bodies
role of water with a high latent heat of vaporization
an effective coolant as large amounts of energy must be absorbed to break hydrogen bonds.
disaccharides
monosaccharides joined together via a condensation reaction, releasing a molecule of water.
starch
the storage polysaccharide of plants
glycogen
the storage polysaccharide of animals and fungi
cellulose
a polymer of beta-glucose monomers
triglycerides
a form of lipid made up of one molecule of glycerol and three fatty acids
saturated fatty acids
the bonds between the carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon tails are all single bonds
unsaturated fatty acids
the bonds between the carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon tail are not all single bonds
cis-isomers
at a double carbon bond, the attached hydrogen atoms are on the same side of the hydrocarbon chain.
trans-isomers
at a double carbon bond, the attached hydrogen atoms are on opposite sides of the hydrocarbon chain
proteins
polymers and macromolecules made of amino acids
amino acids
the monomers of polypeptides
fibrous proteins
proteins composed of long and narrow strands with a structural role
globular proteins
proteins with a more compact and rounded shape with a functional role
insulin
a short, globular protein produced and secreted in the pancreas binding to insulin receptors causing the absorption of glucose from the blood.
collagen
the most abundant fibrous protein in the human body made of 3 polypeptide chains
proteome
the full range of proteins that a cell organism is able to produce
enzymes
biological catalysts that are able to speed up the rate of chemical creations without being used up.
immobilized enzymes
an enzyme that is attached to an insoluble material to prevent mixing with a product
nucleic acids
polymers of nucleotides
nucleotides
formed from a pentose sugar, a nitrogen containing organic base and a phosphate group
helicase
an enzyme used in DNA replication which unwinds the double helix and separates the two strands by breaking hydrogen bonds
DNA polymerase
links nucleotides together to form a new strand using the pre-existing one as a template
thymine
bonds to adenine with 2 hydrogen bonds
cytosine
bonds to guanine with 3 hydrogen bonds
transcription
when DNA is transcribed and an mRNA molecule is produced
translation
when mRNA is translated and an amino acid sequence is produced
sense strand
the strand of the DNA molecule that carries the genetic code during transcription
anti-sense strand
the DNA strand that is transcribed to form the mRNA molecule
codons
three bases on mRNA that correspond to one amino acid in a polypeptide
ATP
a source of energy from cellular processes
aerobic respiration
requires oxygen and gives a large yield of ATP (36) from glucose
anaerobic respiration
glucose is only partially oxidized meaning only a small part of it’s chemical energy is released and transfers ATP (2)
photosynthesis
simple, inorganic compounds are converted into complex organic ones
chlorophylls
primary pigments which absorb wavelengths in the blue-violet and red regions of the light spectrum
carotenoids
accessory pigments which absorb wavelengths of mainly the blue-violet region of the spectrum
Note 
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