Cellular Biology Lecture 1: Biological Macromolecules (Vocabulary)

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to macromolecules, chemical bonding, and cellular functionality from the notes.

Monomer

A small molecule that can join with identical molecules to form a polymer.

Polymer

A large molecule built from repeating monomer units.

Dehydration reaction

A chemical reaction that forms polymers by removing a water molecule.

Hydrolysis

A reaction that breaks polymers by adding water.

Covalent bond

A chemical bond formed by sharing electrons between atoms.

Ionic bond

A bond formed by transfer of electrons, resulting in charged atoms that attract.

Hydrogen bond

An attraction between polar parts of molecules; not a covalent bond.

Polar covalent bond

A covalent bond where electrons are shared unequally, creating partial charges.

Glycosidic linkage

A covalent bond that joins monosaccharides in carbohydrates.

Monosaccharide

A simple sugar; the basic unit of carbohydrates (e.g., glucose).

Disaccharide

Two monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic linkage.

Polysaccharide

A long polymer of monosaccharide units.

Glucose

A common hexose monosaccharide; C6H12O6.

Fructose

A hexose sugar isomer found in many carbohydrates.

Alpha glucose

Anomeric form of glucose with OH at C1 down; used in starch.

Beta glucose

Anomeric form of glucose with OH at C1 up; used in cellulose.

Starch

Plant storage polysaccharide composed of amylose and amylopectin; alpha-glucose bonds.

Amylose

Linear form of starch that forms helices.

Amylopectin

Branched form of starch.

Cellulose

Plant structural polysaccharide with beta-1,4 glycosidic bonds; not digestible by humans.

Chitin

Structural polysaccharide in fungi and insect exoskeletons; contains N-acetylglucosamine.

Glycogen

Animal storage polysaccharide; highly branched glucose polymer.

Energy storage polysaccharide

Polysaccharide (e.g., starch in plants, glycogen in animals) used for stored energy.

Structural polysaccharide

Polysaccharide (e.g., cellulose, chitin) that provides support.

Lipid

A diverse group of hydrophobic molecules; not polymers; includes fats, phospholipids, steroids.

Fats (triglycerides)

Glycerol + three fatty acids; energy storage; ester linkages.

Glycerol

Three-carbon alcohol backbone of triglycerides.

Fatty acids

Long hydrocarbon chains with a carboxyl group; hydrophobic.

Saturated fat

Fatty acids with no C=C double bonds; straight chains; solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated fat

Fatty acids with one or more C=C double bonds; kinked; liquid at room temperature.

Phospholipid

Glycerol + two fatty acids + phosphate group; amphipathic.

Ester linkage

Bond between glycerol and fatty acids in fats.

Phospholipid bilayer

Two-layer arrangement of phospholipids forming a membrane core.

Amphipathic

Molecule with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions.

Micelle

Spherical aggregate of phospholipids in water; heads outward, tails inward.

Steroid

Lipids with four fused carbon rings.

Cholesterol

Steroid component of membranes and precursor to other steroids.

Proteins

Polymers of amino acids; perform diverse cellular functions.

Amino acid

Building block of proteins; contains amino group, carboxyl group, alpha carbon, and an R-group.

R-group

Side chain of an amino acid; determines its properties (polar, nonpolar, acidic, basic).

Peptide bond

Bond between amino acids in a polypeptide; formed by dehydration.

Polypeptide

Chain of amino acids; can fold into a protein.

Hormonal proteins

Proteins that coordinate an organism's activities (e.g., insulin).

Receptor proteins

Proteins that detect signaling molecules and trigger cellular responses.

Enzymatic proteins

Proteins that catalyze chemical reactions.

Defensive proteins

Proteins that protect against disease (e.g., antibodies).

Storage proteins

Proteins that store amino acids (e.g., casein, ovalbumin).

Transport proteins

Proteins that move substances within the body (e.g., hemoglobin).

Structural proteins

Proteins that provide support (e.g., collagen, keratin).

Actin

Protein involved in cell movement; part of the cytoskeleton.

Myosin

Motor protein that drives muscle contraction and other movements.

Collagen

Structural protein giving connective tissues strength.

Keratin

Structural protein in hair, nails, and skin.

Denaturation

Loss of a protein's 3D structure and function due to heat or chemicals.

Nucleic acids

Macromolecules that store and transmit genetic information; monomers are nucleotides.

Nucleotide

Monomer of nucleic acids; composed of a sugar, phosphate, and base.

Monomer

Building block that polymerizes into a larger polymer.

Polarity

Property of a molecule having uneven distribution of charge.

Hydrophilic

Molecule or part of molecule that readily interacts with water.

Hydrophobic

Molecule or part of molecule that repels water.