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Biological Molecules
Key words and definitions for AS level biology
| Word | Definition |
|---|---|
| Amino acid | Building block of proteins. Backbone is aminoethanoic acid carrying one of 20 side chains (R groups) |
| Antibody | Protein produced by white blood cells that can bind to foreign antigens to inactivate them and help clear them from the body |
| Carbohydrate | Polyalcohol nutrient molecule containing carbon hydrogen and oxygen |
| Catalyst | A substance that helps to speed up a reaction by binding to the reactants without itself being changed |
| Coenzyme | A small organic molecule that is required by an enzyme in order to function |
| Condensation | The joining of two organic molecules with the elimination of a water molecule |
| Covalent bond | A strong bond between two atoms formed by the sharing of valence electrons |
| DNA | Deoxyribonucleic acid - a large double-stranded polymer formed from nucleotides that carries genetic information in the cell |
| Enzyme | A globular protein molecule that functions as a specific biological catalyst by virtue of its active site |
| Hormone | A chemical messenger that carries information via the blood stream (or plant sap) |
| Hydrocarbon chain | A linear molecule made up of a carbon backbone carrying hydrogen atoms |
| Hydrogen bond | A non-covalent bond between a partially negative oxygen or nitrogen atom and a partially positive hydrogen atom |
| Hydrolysis | A chemical reaction that involves the breaking of a bond by the addition of a water molecule. The reverse of a condensation reaction. |
| Lipid | A molecule comprising one or more fatty acid molecules esterified to glcyerol |
| Metabolism | The sum of the chemical reactions that occur within a cell. |
| Monomer | The single chemical unit that is repeated to build up a polymer, allowing large complex molecules to be formed from simple ones |
| Monosaccharide | A molecule consisting of a single sugar unit |
| Nucleic acid | A polymer made up of nucleotides joined by linkages between successive pentose phosphate units |
| Nucleotide | The monomer unit for nucleic acids comprising an organic base, a pentose sugar and a phosphate group |
| Phospholipid | A bipolar lipid carrying two fatty acid chains and a polar phosphate group on a glycerol framework |
| Polymer | A large molecule formed by the successive coupling of a limited number of chemical units via a common reaction mechanism |
| Polypeptide | A polymer made up of amino acids coupled by a condensation reaction forming peptide bonds |
| Polysaccharide | A polymer made from sugar units joined by a condensation reaction to give glycosidic linkages |
| Protein | A polymer of the naturally occurring amino acids |
| Risk factor | Any factor, whether genetic, environmental or random that influences the probability of disease or other unwanted outcome |
| RNA | A nucleic acid made up of ribose containing nucleotides. Cannot form a large alpha helix. Important role in protein synthesis. |
| Solvent | Chemical that is liquid at useful temperature and that can dissolve a wide range of other substances. |
| Vitamin | Organic nutrient that is needed in small amounts for metabolism but that cannot be synthesised in the body |
Created by:
edwarp
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