Macromolecules & Enzymes Practice Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering the definition, structure, components, and functions of macromolecules including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Macromolecules

Large molecules that are critically important to all living things; the prefix "macro" means large.

Monomer

A small molecule that serves as a building block of a larger molecule; "mono" means one and "mer" means part.

Polymer

A large, complex molecule made from many small molecules (monomers) joined together in a strand; "poly" means many.

Dehydration synthesis

A process of joining monomers by removing a molecule of water to create a bond.

Hydrolysis

A process of breaking down a polymer by adding a molecule of water to break a bond.

Carbohydrates

Macromolecules composed of elements carbon ($C$), hydrogen ($H$), and oxygen ($O$) used for energy and structure; they often end in "-ose."

Monosaccharide

The monomer of a carbohydrate consisting of $1$ sugar unit; an example is glucose.

Disaccharide

A type of carbohydrate consisting of $2$ sugars; an example is sucrose (table sugar).

Polysaccharide

A type of carbohydrate consisting of many sugars; examples include starch, glycogen, cellulose, and chitin.

Lipids

Macromolecules made of $C$, $H$, and $O$ that function in long-term energy storage, cell membrane formation, and body insulation; all are hydrophobic.

Hydrophobic

A property of substances that do not mix with water; literally "water-fearing."

Triglyceride

A lipid used for energy storage composed of $1$ glycerol and $3$ fatty acid chains.

Saturated fat

A type of fat that is solid at room temperature; an example is butter.

Unsaturated fat

A type of fat that is liquid at room temperature; an example is oil.

Phospholipid

A molecule composed of glycerol, a phosphate group, and $2$ fatty acids that forms the cell membrane; it has a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail.

Protein

Macromolecules containing $C$, $H$, $O$, and nitrogen ($N$) involved in muscle contraction, cell transport, and enzymes; many end in "-in."

Amino acids

The monomers of proteins; there are $20$ common types that link together.

Polypeptides

Long chains of amino acids that fold into a functional protein.

Nucleic Acids

Macromolecules containing $C$, $H$, $O$, $N$, and phosphorous ($P$) used for storing and transmitting instructions to make proteins.

Nucleotides

The monomers of nucleic acids consisting of three parts: a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base ($A$, $T$, $G$, $C$, or $U$).

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)

A double-stranded nucleic acid containing nucleobases like Cytosine, Guanine, Adenine, and Thymine.

RNA (Ribonucleic acid)

A single-stranded nucleic acid containing nucleobases like Cytosine, Guanine, Adenine, and Uracil.