Biological Molecules and Cell Structure Review

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary regarding biological molecules, cellular structures, and their functions based on lecture notes.

Valence

The property determining the number of atom interactions based on the number of valence electrons.

Polarity

Uneven charge distribution within a molecule that makes one region more negative and the other more positive.

Monomer

A single unit or molecule that can bond with other similar units to form a polymer.

Polymer

A large molecule made up of repeating monomer units.

Hydrophobic

Substances that repel water or do not mix with water.

Hydrophilic

Substances that are attracted to water and can dissolve in it.

Peptide bond

A covalent bond formed between two amino acids during protein synthesis.

Confirmation

The three-dimensional shape or structure of a molecule.

Native confirmation

The most stable three-dimensional structure of a protein under physiological conditions.

Phosphodiester bond

A covalent bond between a phosphate group and two sugars in DNA or RNA.

Phosphoanhydride bond

A high-energy bond found in ATP linking phosphate groups.

Glycosidic bond

A covalent bond that links monosaccharides to form disaccharides or polysaccharides.

Glycosylation

The process of adding sugar molecules to proteins or lipids.

Saturation

Refers to the presence of double bonds in fatty acids; saturated fatty acids have no double bonds, while unsaturated have one or more.

Cohesion

The intermolecular attraction between similar molecules, leading to phenomena such as surface tension.

Specific heat

The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius.

Macromolecules

Large complex molecules essential for life, including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.

Amino acids

Organic compounds that serve as the building blocks of proteins.

Activation (polymerization)

The first step in polymerization involving ATP usage and a carrier protein.

Condensation reactions

Chemical reactions that involve the joining of two molecules with the removal of water.

Covalent bond

A chemical bond involving the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.

Disulfide bond

A strong covalent bond formed between sulfur atoms in cysteine residues of proteins.

Hydrogen bond

A weak bond formed by the attraction between a hydrogen atom and an electronegative atom.

Ionic bond

A bond formed through the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.