Biochemistry and Cellular Processes Overview

Flashcards covering key terms and definitions from the biochemistry and cellular processes lecture notes.

Catabolic Reactions

Processes that break reactants down and release energy.

Anabolic Reactions

Processes that build up larger molecules from smaller units and use energy.

Dehydration Synthesis

A process that joins monomers to form polymers by removing water.

Hydrolysis

A process that breaks down polymers into monomers by adding water.

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars that serve as the building blocks of carbohydrates.

Disaccharides

Carbohydrates formed by the combination of two monosaccharides.

Polysaccharides

Large carbohydrate molecules made up of chains of monosaccharides.

Cellulose

A polysaccharide that is a major component of plant cell walls.

Lipids

Organic compounds made primarily of carbon and hydrogen, not soluble in water.

Saturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids that contain only single bonds between carbon atoms.

Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids that contain at least one double bond between carbon atoms.

Proteins

Biomacromolecules composed of amino acids, essential for biological functions.

Amino Acids

Building blocks of proteins, there are 20 different types.

Enzymes

Proteins that act as catalysts to speed up chemical reactions.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, the molecule that carries genetic information.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid, a molecule that conveys genetic information and helps in protein synthesis.

Mitosis

The process of cell division that produces two identical daughter cells.

Meiosis

A specialized type of cell division that results in gametes (sex cells) with half the chromosome number.

Natural Selection

The process by which individuals with favorable traits survive and reproduce more than those without.

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms interacting with their environment.

Biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.