BIO1011 Week 2 Building Life: Macromolecules

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to organic macromolecules, their structure, function, and the processes involved in their formation and interaction.

Organic macromolecules

Large molecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids, built from smaller units called monomers.

Polymerisation

The process by which monomers combine to form polymers.

Monomers

Small repeating units that make up larger macromolecules.

Dehydration synthesis

A chemical reaction that joins monomers by removing water.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction that breaks polymers into monomers by adding water.

Nucleotide

The monomer of nucleic acids, consisting of a phosphate group, 5 carbon sugar, and a nitrogenous base.

Double helix

The structure of DNA, consisting of two strands running antiparallel, held together by hydrogen bonds between complementary bases.

Peptide bond

The bond that links amino acids together in a protein.

Glycosidic bond

The bond that links monosaccharides in carbohydrates.

Phosphodiester bond

The bond that links nucleotides in nucleic acids.

Saturated fat

A type of fat with no double bonds between carbon atoms, resulting in straight chains that pack tightly.

Unsaturated fat

A type of fat with one or more double bonds between carbon atoms, resulting in bent chains that do not pack tightly.

Enzyme

A protein that acts as a catalyst to speed up chemical reactions by lowering activation energy.

Cofactors

Non-protein molecules that assist enzymes in catalyzing reactions.

Competitive inhibitor

A molecule that binds to the active site of an enzyme, preventing substrate binding.

Non-competitive inhibitor

A molecule that binds to an allosteric site on an enzyme, changing its shape and preventing substrate binding.

Activation energy

The minimum energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.

Endergonic reaction

A reaction that requires an input of energy.

Exergonic reaction

A reaction that releases energy.

Complementary base pairing

The mechanism by which nitrogenous bases pair in DNA, where A pairs with T and G pairs with C.

Denaturation

The process in which a protein loses its functional shape due to environmental factors like temperature or pH.