Section 2 Biotech

Organism – a living thing

Cell – the smallest unit of life that makes up all living organisms

Escerichia coli  - a bacterium that is commonly used by biotechnology companies for the development of products

Multicellular – composed of more than one cell

Cytology – cell biology

Anatomy – the structure and organization of living things

Physiology – the processes and functions of living things

Respiration – the breaking down of food molecules with the result of generating energy for the cell

Unicellular – composed of one cell

Tissue – a group of cells that function together (eg, muscle tissue or nervous tissue)

Organ – tissues that act together to form a specific function in an organism (eg, stomach that breaks down food)

Proteins – one of the four classes of macromolecules; folded, functional polypeptides that conduct various functions within and around a cell (eg, adding structural support, catalyzing reactions, transporting molecules)

Eukaryotic/eukaryote – a cell that contains membrane-bound organelles

Protist – an organism belonging to the Kingdom Protista, which includes protozoans, slime molds, and certain algae

Organelles – specialized microscopic factories, each with specific jobs in a cell

Mitochondria – membrane-bound organelles that are responsible for generating cellular energy

Sugar – a simple carbohydrate molecule composed of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen

Starch – a polysaccharide that is composed of many glucose molecules

Nucleic acid – a class of macromolecules that directs the synthesis of all other cellular molecules; often referred to as “information-carrying molecules”

Lipids – one of the four classes of macromolecules; includes fats, waxes, steroids, and oils

Pancreas – an organ that secretes digestive fluids as well as insulin

Hormone – a molecule that acts to regulate cellular functions

Chlorophyll – the green-pigmented molecules found in plants; used for photosynthesis (production of chemical energy from light energy)

Photosynthesis – a process by which plants or algae use light energy to make chemical energy

Chloroplast – the specialized organelle in plants responsible for photosynthesis (production of chemical energy from light energy)

Cytoplasm – a gel-like liquid of thousands of molecules suspended in water, outside the nucleus

Lysosome – a membrane-bound organelle that is responsible for the breakdown of cellular waste

Ribosome – the organelle in a cell where proteins are made

Cell wall – a specialized organelle surrounding the cells of plants, bacteria, and some fungi; gives support around the outer boundary of the cell

Cellulose – a structural polysaccharide that is found in plant cell walls

Plasma membrane – a specialized organelle of the cell that regulates the movement of materials into and out of the cell

Glucose – a 6-carbon sugar that is produced during photosynthesis reactions; usual form of carbohydrate used by animals, including humans

Adenosine triphosphate – a nucleotide that serves as an energy storage molecule

Nucleus – a membrane-bound organelle that encloses the cell’s DNA

Chromosomes – the long strands of DNA intertwined with protein molecules

Enzyme – a protein that functions to speed up chemical reactions

Pigments – the molecules that are colored due to the reflection of specific wavelengths

Messenger RNA (mRNA) – a class of RNA molecules responsible for transferring genetic information from the chromosomes to ribosomes where proteins are made; often abbreviated mRNA

Amino acids – the subunits of proteins; each contains a central carbon atom attached to an amino group (-NH₂), a carboxyl group (-COOH), and a distinctive “R” group

Polypeptides – a strand of amino acids connected to each other through peptide bonds

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) – an animal cell line commonly used in biotechnology studies

Vero cells – African green monkey kidney epithelial cells

HeLa cells – human epithelial cells

Prokaryotic/prokaryote – a cell that lacks membrane-bound organelles

Macromolecule – a large molecule usually composed of smaller repeating units chained together

Organic – molecules that contain carbon and are only produced in living things

Carbohydrates – one of the four classes of macromolecules; organic compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, generally in a 1:2:1 ratio

Cytoskeleton – a protein network in the cytoplasm that gives the cell structural support

Monomers – the repeating units that make up polymers

Polymer – a large molecule made of many repeating subunits

Monosaccharide – the monomer unit that cells use to build polysaccharides; also known as a “single sugar” or “simple sugar”

Disaccharide – a polymer that consists of two sugar molecules

Polysaccharide – a long polymer composed of many simple sugar molecules (usually glucose or a variation of glucose)

Fructose – a 6-carbon sugar found in high concentration in fruits; also called fruit sugar

Sucrose – a disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose; also called table sugar

Lactose – a disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose; also called milk sugar

Amylose – a plant starch with unbranched glucose chains

Amylopectin – a plant starch with branched glucose chains

Glycogen – an animal starch with branched glucose chains

Cellular respiration – the process by which cells break down glucose to create other energy molecules

Deoxyribose – the 5-carbon sugar found in DNA molecules

Hydrophobic – repelled by water

Triglycerides – a group of lipids that includes animal fats and plant oils

Ribose – the 5-carbon sugar found in RNA molecules

Phospholipids – a class of lipids that are primarily found in membranes of the cell

Hydrophilic – having an attraction for water

Steroids – a group of lipids whose functions include acting as hormones (testosterone and estrogen), venoms, and pigments

R group – the chemical side-group on an amino acid; in nature, there are 20 different R groups that are found on amino acids

Ribonucleic acid – the macromolecule that functions in the conversion of genetic instructions (DNA) into proteins

Nucleotides – the monomer units of nucleic acids