Bio - M2 Molecules of Life

Monosaccharides

Carbohydrate monomers. Energy storing molecules

Disaccharides

Two monosaccharides that are bonded together

Amino acid

Protein monomers. Speed up rate of chemical reactions

Peptide bond

Joins amino acids together

Polypeptide

Short chain of amino acids

Nucleotide

Nucleic acid monomers. Consist of phosphate group, sugar, and base

RNA

One linear chain of bonded nucleotides

DNA

Two chains of bonded nucleotides twisted in helical shape

Lipid

Hydrophobic. Serve essential functions such as energy storage, cell membrane structure, and signaling.

Fatty acid

Lipids with long chains of CH

Saturated fatty acid

Fatty acid where C atoms are bonded to as many H as possible

Unsaturated fatty acid

Fatty acid that lacks a few H atoms

Fat (triglyceride)

Three fatty acids bonded to glycerol. Serves as long term energy storage molecules. Provide organisms with padding and thermal insulation

Phospholipid

Two fatty acid tails and a hydrophilic head group. Key component of cell membranes

Sterol

Four connected carbon rings (e.g. cholesterol, testosterone, estrogen)

Enzyme

Proteins that speed up chemical reactions

Substrate

Substance that is acted upon by an enzyme that serves as the base or foundation for something else

Active site

Part of enzyme that binds to substrates

Catabolic reaction

Reaction that breaks complex molecules into simpler molecules (e.g digestion)

Anabolic reaction

Reaction that combines simple molecules to build more complex molecules (e.g. amino acids that build new muscle)

Metabolism

All biochemical reactions occurring in an organism (catabolic and anabolic)

Lactase

Enzyme that breaks down lactose

Catalase (proteases)

Enzyme that catabolises and breaks down protein deposit on lens. Breaks down hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into H2O and O2, O2 gas helps remove deposits from lens

Amylase

Enzyme that breaks down starch into sugar, found in saliva