 | Term | Definition |
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Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) |
A molecule composed of the sugar ribose, the base adenine, and three phosphate groups. |
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Amino Acid |
The individual subunit of which proteins are made, composed of a carbon atom bonded to an amina group, a carboxyl group, a hydrogen atom, and a variable group of atoms denoted by the letter R. |
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Carbohydrates |
A compound composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, with the appropriate chemical formula (CH2O); includes sugars and starches. |
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Cellulose |
An insoluble carbohydrate composed of glucose subunits. |
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Chitin |
Compound composed of chains of nitrogen-containing modified glucose molecules. |
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Dehydration Synthesis |
A chemical reaction in which two moleculess are joined by a covalent bond with the simultaneous removal of a hydrogen from one molecule and a hydroxyl from the other, forming water. |
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Denatured |
To disrupt the secondary and/or tertiary structure of a protein while leaving its amino acid sequence intact. Denatured proteins can no longer perform their biological functions. |
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Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) |
A molecule composed of deoxyribose nucleotides; contains the genetic information of all living cells. |
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Disaccharide |
A carbohydrate formed by the covalent bonding of two monosaccharides. |
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Disulfide Bridge |
The covalent bond formed between the sulfur atoms of two cysteines in a protein; typically causes the protein to fold by brining otherwise distant parts of the protein closer together. |
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Enzyme |
A protein catalyst that speeds up the rate of specific biological reactions. |
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Fat |
A lipid composed of three saturated fatty acids covalent bonded to glycerol; solid at room temperature. |
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Fatty Acid |
An organic molecule composed of a long change of carbon atoms, with a carboxyl acid group at one end; may be saturated (all single bonds between C) or unsaturated (one or more double bonds). |
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Function Group |
One of several groups of atoms commonly found in an organic molecule, including hydrogen, hydroxyl, amino, carboxyl, and phosphate groups, that determine the characteristics and chemical reactivity of the molecule. |
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Glucose |
The most common monosaccharide; most polysaccharides, including cellulose, starch, and glycogen, are made of glucose subunits covalently bonded together |
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Glycerol |
A three-carbon alcohol to which fatty acids are covalently bonded to make fats and oils. |
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Helix |
A coil, springlike secondary structure of a protein. |
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Hydrolysis |
The chemical reaction that breaks a covalent bond by adding water. |
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Inorganic |
Describing any molecule that does not contain both carbon and hydrogen. |
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Lactose |
A disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose. |
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Lipid |
Organic molecule that contains large nonpolar regions composed solely of C and H, which make lipids hydrophobic and insoluble in water; includes oils, fats, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids. |
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Maltose |
A disaccharide composed of two glucose molecules. |
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Monomer |
A small organic molecule, several of which may be bonded together to form a chain called a polymer. |
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Monosaccharide |
The basic molecular unit of all carbohydrates, normaly composed of a chain of C atoms bonded to hydrogen and hydroxyl groups. |
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Nucleic Acid |
An organic molecule composed of nucleotide subunits. EX: DNA or RNA. |
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Nucleotide |
A subunit of which nucleic acids are composed of; a phosphate group bonded to a sugar, which in turn is bonded to a nitrogen-containing base. |
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Oil |
A lipid composed of three fatty acids, some of which are unsaturated, covalently bonded to a glycerol; liquid at room temperature. |
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Organic |
Describing a molecule that contains both C and H. |
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Peptide |
A chain composed of two or amino acids linked together by a peptide bond. |
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Peptide Bond |
The covalent bond between two amino acids, joining them into a peptide or protein. |
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Phospholipids |
A lipid consisting of glycerol bonded to two fatty acids and one phosphate group. |
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Pleated Sheet |
A form of primary structure in which protein chains live side-by side, with hydrogen bonds holding adjacent chains together. |
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Polymer |
Long chains of monomers. |
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Polysaccharide |
A polymer of many monosaccharides. |
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Primary Structure |
The amino acid sequence of a protein structure. |
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Protein |
Polymer of amino acids joined by peptide bonds. |
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Quaternary Structure |
The complex 3-dimensional structure of protein composed of more than one peptide chain. |
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Ribonucleic Acids (RNA) |
Molecules composed of ribose nucleotides, each of which consists of a phosphate group, a sugar ribose, and one of the bases adenine, cytosine, guanine, uracil; involved in converting the information in DNA into protein. |
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Saturated |
Referring to fatty acids with as many hydrogen atoms as possible bonded to a carbon backbone; a fatty acid with no double bonds in its carbon backbone. |
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Secondary Structure |
A repeated, regular structure assembled by protein chains held together by hydrogen bonds; for example, a helix. |
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Starch |
A polysaccharide that is composed of branched or unbranched chains or glucose molecules; used by plants as a carbohydrate-storage molecule |
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Steroid |
A lipid consisting of four fused carbon rings, with various function groups attached. |
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Sucrose |
A disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose. |
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Sugar |
A simple carbohydrate molecule, either a monosaccharide or a disaccharide. |
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Teritary Structure |
The complex 3-dimensional structure of a single peptide chain; held in place by disulfide bonds between cysteines. |
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Triglyceride |
A lipid composed of three fatty-acid molecules bonded to a single glycerol molecule. |
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Unsaturated |
Referring to a fatty acid with fewer than the maximum number of hydrogen atoms bonded to a carbon backbone; a fatty acid with one or more double bonds in its carbon backbone. |
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Wax |
A lipid composed of fatty acids covalently bonded to long-chain alcohols. |
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