Biological Macromolecules for the TEAS Exam

Comprehensive flashcards covering the four types of macromolecules, their monomers, functions, and key examples mentioned in the TEAS prep lecture.

Macromolecules

The chemicals that make up living things, categorized into four types: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.

Polymers

Large molecules made from individual units or pieces connected together.

Monomers

The individual pieces or units that are connected to form a polymer.

Anabolism

The process of building something large by connecting smaller pieces or monomers together.

Catabolism

The process of breaking something big down into smaller pieces.

Monosaccharides

The monomers of carbohydrates, also known as simple sugars.

Glucose

A famous example of a monosaccharide, also known as blood sugar, with the formula $C_6H_{12}O_6$.

Sucrose

Table sugar, which is a disaccharide made of one glucose and one fructose connected together.

Glycogen

A long glucose polymer used to store energy in the liver and muscles of animals.

Starch

A long glucose polymer used for energy storage in plants.

Cellulose

A carbohydrate polymer that provides structure and makes up wood and plant cell walls.

Chitin

A carbohydrate that provides structure by forming the hard outer shells of insects.

Dehydration synthesis

The chemical process of connecting monomers by removing a molecule of $H_2O$.

Hydrophobic

A term for substances like lipids that are insoluble and do not dissolve in water; literally meaning "water-hating."

Triglyceride

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

Fatty acids

Long strings of carbon and hydrogen that serve as components of many lipids.

Phospholipid

A type of lipid used to make the cell membrane.

Steroid hormones

Lipid-based chemical messengers, such as cholesterol, testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, and aldosterone.

Proteins

Macromolecules made of individual monomers called amino acids.

Peptide bonds

The specific covalent bonds that connect amino acids together to form proteins.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts that speed up or increase the rate of chemical reactions.

Pepsin

An enzyme that specifically breaks down proteins.

Amylase

An enzyme present in saliva that breaks down starch into glucose monomers.

Keratin

A structural protein that helps make up hair and nails.

Nucleic acids

Macromolecules that carry genetic or hereditary information, such as DNA and RNA.

Nucleotides

The monomers that connect to form nucleic acids.

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

A type of nucleic acid that carries information about traits and characteristics passed from parent to child.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

A type of nucleic acid involved in carrying genetic information.