BILD 1 Week 3 Content Review: Biological Molecules and Cell Structure

Vocabulary flashcards covering biological macromolecules (DNA, RNA, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids), organelle functions, and prokaryotic versus eukaryotic/plant versus animal cell structures from Week 3.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

A double-stranded, highly stable nucleic acid that contains deoxyribose sugar and thymine instead of uracil.

RNA (Ribonucleic Acid)

A single-stranded, less stable nucleic acid that contains ribose sugar and uracil instead of thymine.

Deoxyribose

A five-carbon sugar found in DNA that lacks an oxygen atom at the $2'$ carbon position, distinguishing it from ribose.

Monomer

A single molecule unit that functions as a fundamental building block for assembling polymers.

Dehydration Reaction

A chemical reaction that synthesizes polymers from monomer units by releasing a water molecule ($\text{H}_2\text{O}$).

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction that breaks polymers down into individual monomer units by utilizing a water molecule ($\text{H}_2\text{O}$).

Amino Acid

The building block of proteins, consisting of a central carbon bonded to an amino group, a carboxyl group, a hydrogen atom, and a variable R-group.

Peptide Bond

A covalent bond formed between two amino acids through a dehydration reaction to create protein chains.

Primary Structure

The simplest level of protein structure, consisting strictly of the unique linear sequence of amino acids.

Secondary Structure

The structural folding of a polypeptide formed by hydrogen bonds, creating alpha helices and beta-sheets.

Tertiary Structure

The overall three-dimensional conformation of a single polypeptide chain formed by interactions among side chains (R-groups).

Quaternary Structure

The highest level of protein structure formed by the interaction and assembly of two or more different peptide chains.

Carbohydrates

Macromolecules composed of carbon ($\text{C}$), hydrogen ($\text{H}$), and oxygen ($\text{O}$), which include sugars and starches used for energy storage and structural support.

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars possessing the general chemical formula $(\text{CH}_2\text{O})_x$, such as glucose and fructose.

Disaccharides

Carbohydrate molecules consisting of two monosaccharides linked together by a glycosidic bond, such as sucrose and maltose.

Glycosidic Linkage

A covalent bond that joins two monosaccharide units together via a dehydration reaction.

Polysaccharides

Long chains of monosaccharide units that function as storage macromolecules (such as starch and glycogen) or structural polymers (such as cellulose and chitin).

Fats

Lipids composed of glycerol and fatty acids used primarily for energy storage, classified into saturated and unsaturated types.

Phospholipids

Membrane lipids composed of a hydrophilic head containing glycerol and a phosphate group, linked to two hydrophobic tails (one saturated fatty acid and one unsaturated fatty acid).

Steroids

A class of lipids characterized by a carbon skeleton composed of four fused rings, such as cholesterol.

Eukaryotic Cells

Larger, often multicellular cells characterized by having a membrane-bound nucleus and internal membrane-bound organelles, found in animals, plants, fungi, and amoebas.

Prokaryotic Cells

Smaller, unicellular cells that lack a membrane-bound nucleus and membrane-bound organelles (possessing only ribosomes), with DNA situated freely in the cytoplasm; includes bacteria and archaea.

Mitochondria

Cellular organelles that use oxygen to convert sugar into cellular energy in the form of $\text{ATP}$.

Endoplasmic Reticulum and Golgi Apparatus

Cellular organelle systems responsible for processing and transporting specific types of proteins.

Lysosome

A specialized organelle found in animal cells that functions to break stuff down.

Ribosomes

Large molecular machines present in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells that synthesize proteins.

Chloroplasts

Plant cell organelles (absent in animal cells) that carry out photosynthetic processes.

Large Central Vacuole

A prominent organelle unique to plant cells that provides storage and cellular support, distinct from the small vacuoles found in animal cells.

Cell Wall

An outer structural layer situated exterior to the plasma membrane that encloses plant cells.