BIOL 170 Ch 3 Molecules of Life Part I (1)

Organic Molecules

Large molecules made of monomer subunits found in living organisms.

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars that serve as the monomer units for carbohydrates, typically containing 3 to 7 carbon atoms.

Disaccharides

Carbohydrates formed by the union of two monosaccharides through dehydration synthesis.

Oligosaccharides

Carbohydrates composed of 2 to 12 monosaccharide units joined by dehydration synthesis.

Polysaccharides

Large carbohydrates made of more than 12 monosaccharide units, often used for energy storage or structural support.

Glycogen

A polysaccharide that serves as energy storage in animals.

Starch

A polysaccharide that serves as energy storage in plants.

Cellulose

A polysaccharide that provides structural support in plant cell walls and is indigestible by humans.

Proteins

Molecules made of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen, composed of amino acids.

Amino Acids

The building blocks of proteins, there are 20 different types that can combine in various ways.

Peptide Bonds

The covalent bonds that link amino acids together in a protein.

Polypeptide

A chain of 3 to 100 amino acids linked by peptide bonds.

Protein

A complex molecule made of more than 100 amino acids, with a specific structure and function.

Enzymes

Proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions, often named with the suffix -ase.

Heat Shock Chaperones

Proteins that assist in the proper folding of other proteins within the cell.

Primary Protein Structure

The linear sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain.

Secondary Protein Structure

The local folded structures that form within a protein due to hydrogen bonding.

Tertiary Protein Structure

The overall three-dimensional shape of a single polypeptide chain.

Quaternary Protein Structure

The structure formed when two or more polypeptide chains assemble into a functional protein.

Ribbon Diagrams

A visual representation of protein structure that shows the arrangement of secondary structures.