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Biochemistry CSET
Vocabulary words for Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
21
Biochemistry
Professional
06/21/2012

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Term
carbohydrate
Definition
Biochemical compounds such as sugars, starches, and, chitin. They fall into three main classes, monosaccharoses, disaccharoses, and polysaccharoses. They are called carbohydrates because they (1) always contain carbon; (2) always contain hydrogen and oxygen in a two to one ratio (the same ratio as in water).
Term
lipids
Definition
Any of a wide variety of biological molecules, which are only sparingly soluble in water, including fats, fat-soluble vitamins, monoglycerides, diglycerides, phospholipids, waxes and sterols. Lipids are generally soluble in nonpolar solvents such as ether or chloroform. They are important structural components of plasma membranes. They also serve in energy storage and as signaling molecules.
Term
protein
Definition
A molecule composed of one or more amino acids covalently linked by peptide bonds in a chain.
Term
nucleic acids
Definition
A nucleotide polymer; nucleic acids are of two types, called RNA and DNA.
Term
transcription
Definition
The synthesis of a complementary RNA through the use of a DNA template.
Term
translation
Definition
Synthesis of protein on an mRNA template.
Term
anaerobic respiration
Definition
The oxidation of energy-rich storage molecules in plants, animals, and many prokaryotes of glucose and oxygen which are converted to carbon dioxide and water (producing on average 38 ATP molecules per oxidized glucose molecule).
Term
aerobic respiration
Definition
The oxidation of energy-rich storage molecules during fermentation which produces less energy (only 2 ATP molecules per glucose molecule) In muscle, the product of anaerobic respiration is lactic acid and in yeast, it is ethanol.
Term
photosynthesis
Definition
A process carried out in plants, algae, and bacteria, which uses energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. Photosynthesis is the source of atmospheric free oxygen and is the essential starting point for the construction of all organic molecules present in living things.
Term
polymer
Definition
A molecule composed of a chain of repeating subunits.
Term
amino acids
Definition
One of 20 organic molecules serving as the monomers of proteins. An amino acid has both carboxyl and amino groups (—NH₂) . The various amino acids differ only in what is attached to the 4th bond of the α carbon.
Term
peptide bond
Definition
A covalent bond between two amino acids; forms when the amino group of one amino acid bonds to the carboxyl group of another and water is eliminated.
Term
deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA)
Definition
The blueprint for building the protein molecules
Term
Calvin cycle ( light independent or dark reaction)
Definition
In photosynthesis, a series of biochemical reactions taking place in the stroma of the chloroplasts of those plants using the C3 carbon fixation pathway.
Term
adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
Definition
A nucleotide with multiple functions. In its phosphate bonds it stores energy produced by photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Term
mitochondria
Definition
Organelles that are the site of cell respiration in eukaryotic cells. Cell respiration occurs in a series of reactions in which fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, mostly glucose, are broken down to produce carbon dioxide, water, and energy such as ATP.
Term
polysaccharides
Definition
A group name for those carbohydrates that can be broken down into three or more simple sugars; usually insoluble in water; when soluble they form colloidal solutions. Basic formula: (C₆H₁₂O₆)ₓ. Common examples are starch and cellulose.
Term
fatty acid
Definition
Any molecule produced by replacing one of the hydrogen atoms of a hydrocarbon with a carboxyl group. Lipids are composed of fatty acids, glycerol, and other components
Term
nucleotide
Definition
One of the monomeric units of which DNA and RNA polymers are composed. A nucleotide is made up of a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group covalently bonded to a five-carbon sugar molecule.
Term
messenger RNA (mRNA)
Definition
A member of a class of single-stranded polynucleotides containing ribose sugar and the pyrimidine uracil that serves as a template for protein synthesis.
Term
genetic code
Definition
The correspondence between nucleotide triplets in DNA or RNA (codons) and the amino acids in protein. A gene's DNA sequence determines the mRNA sequence produced from it, and the genetic code then determines the amino acid sequence in the protein produced from that mRNA.
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