Biochemistry Review - Macromolecules and Enzymes

Flashcards created to aid in the review of the biochemical concepts covered in the lectures on macromolecules and enzyme functions.

Macromolecules

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

Enzyme

A protein that acts as a catalyst to speed up biochemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.

Activation Energy

The minimum energy required for a chemical reaction to occur; enzymes decrease this energy.

Substrate

The reactant molecule that an enzyme binds to and acts upon during a chemical reaction.

Catalysis

The process by which an enzyme facilitates a biochemical reaction.

Glycogen

A polysaccharide that serves as a form of energy storage in animals, primarily found in the liver and muscle.

Starch

A polysaccharide that serves as a form of energy storage in plants.

Disaccharide

A carbohydrate formed from the enzymatic bonding of two monosaccharides.

Polysaccharide

A carbohydrate composed of long chains of monosaccharide units.

Glycemic Index

A ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood glucose levels.

Kinetic Energy

The energy that an object possesses due to its motion; in biochemistry, it is often related to molecular movement and collisions.

Cofactor

A non-protein chemical compound that is required for the protein's biological activity, often involved in enzyme reactions.

Glycoprotein

A molecule that consists of a protein covalently bonded to a carbohydrate.

Hydrogen Bond

A weak bond formed between an electronegative atom and a hydrogen atom that is covalently bonded to another electronegative atom.

Transcription

The process in which a DNA strand is used as a template to synthesize RNA.

Polynucleotide Chain

A chain of nucleotides linked together by covalent bonds that forms DNA or RNA.

Homopolysaccharide

A polysaccharide that consists of only one type of monosaccharide.

Heteropolysaccharide

A polysaccharide that consists of two or more different types of monosaccharides.