Intro to Molecular Biology: The Molecules of Life

Flashcards covering key terms and definitions from the 'Intro to Molecular Biology: The Molecules of Life' lecture notes, including biological macromolecules, chemical bonds, and the central dogma.

Biological Macromolecules

Large molecules that perform many important biological functions, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Polymer

A large molecule made of repeating units of identical or similar subunits.

Monomer

Each individual subunit that makes up a polymer.

Nucleic Acids

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA); polymers of nucleotides that store cellular information and serve as templates for proteins.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)

A type of nucleic acid that stores cellular and inherited information, often large and complex, serving as a template for proteins and controlling cellular functions.

RNA (Ribonucleic acid)

A type of nucleic acid that, unlike DNA, can leave the cell nucleus and carries information to build specific proteins.

Protein

The most versatile of the macromolecules, performing diverse functions such as structural, storage, transport, hormonal, receptor, contractile, defensive, and enzymatic roles.

Carbohydrates

Comprised of sugars and polymers of sugars, used for energy (simple sugars), energy storage (starches), and structural components (cellulose, chitin).

Fats

Lipid-based molecules used primarily as a long-term method of energy storage and as barriers for water in biological membranes; they are hydrophobic.

Chemical Bonds

Forces that keep atoms together in the same molecule, including covalent, ionic, and hydrogen bonds.

Covalent Bonds

Strong bonds formed from two atoms sharing an electron, common in biologically relevant molecules.

Ionic Bonds

Strong bonds that form between positively and negatively charged ions, like in table salt, but can break in water.

Hydrogen Bonds

Weaker bonds (about 1/20th as strong as a covalent bond) that form between weak charges on covalent molecules when electrons aren't shared evenly; they form and break rapidly.

Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

The fundamental concept that information flows from DNA to RNA (via Transcription) and then from RNA to protein (via Translation).

Transcription

The process where information contained in DNA is used to encode an RNA molecule.

Translation

The process where information in RNA is used as a blueprint to build a specific protein.