Portion of ATP and ADP that is composed of the base adenine and the sugar ribose.
ADP (adenosine diphosphate) amino acid
Nucleotide with two phosphate groups that can accept another phosphate group and become ATP.
ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
Nucleotide with three phosphate groups. The breakdown of ATP into ADP_P makes energy available for energy-requiring processes in cells.
Biomolecule
Organic molecule (macromolecule as a protein or nucleic acid) in living organisms.
Carbohydrate
Class of organic compounds that includes monosaccharides- disaccharides- and polysaccharides.
Cellulose
Polysaccharide that is the major complex carbohydrate in plant cell walls.
chaperone protein
Molecule that interacts with a protein so that it folds into its proper shape.
Chitin
Strong but flexible nitrogenous polysaccharide found in the exoskeleton of arthropods and in the cell walls of fungi.
Coenzyme
Nonprotein organic molecule that aids the action of the enzyme to which it is loosely bound.
complementary base pairing
Hydrogen bonding between particular purines and pyrimidines in DNA.
dehydration reaction
Chemical reaction resulting in a covalent bond with the accompanying loss of a water molecule.
Denatured
Loss of an enzyme's normal shape so that it no longer functions; caused by a less than optimal pH and temperature.
Deoxyribose
Pentose sugar found in DNA.
Disaccharide
Sugar that contains two units of a monosaccharide; e.g.- maltose.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
Nucleic acid polymer produced from covalent bonding of nucleotide monomers that contain the sugar deoxyribose; the genetic material of nearly all organisms.
Enzyme
Organic catalyst- usually a protein- that speeds a reaction in cells due to its particular shape.
Fat
Organic molecule that contains glycerol and fatty acids and is found in adipose tissue of vertebrates.
fatty acid
Molecule that contains a hydrocarbon chain and ends with an acid group.
fibrous protein
A protein that has only a secondary structure; generally insoluble; includes collagens- elastins- and keratins.
functional group
Specific cluster of atoms attached to the carbon skeleton of organic molecules that enters into reactions and behaves in a predictable way.
globular protein
Most of the proteins in the body; soluble in water or salt solution; includes albumins- globulins- histones.
Glucose
Six-carbon sugar that organisms degrade as a source of energy during cellular respiration.
Glycerol
Three-carbon carbohydrate with three hydroxyl groups attached; a component of fats and oils.
Glycogen
Storage polysaccharide found in animals; composed of glucose molecules joined in a linear fashion but having numerous branches.
Hemoglobin
Iron containing respiratory pigment occurring in vertebrate red blood cells and in the blood plasma of some invertebrates.
Hexose
Six-carbon sugar.
hydrolysis reaction
Splitting of a bond by the addition of water- with the H_ going to one molecule and the OH_ going to the other.
Hydrophilic
Type of molecule that interacts with water by dissolving in water and/or by forming hydrogen bonds with water molecules.
Hydrophobic
Type of molecule that does not interact with water because it is nonpolar.
inorganic chemistry
Branch of science which deals with compounds that are not unique to the plant or animal worlds.
Isomer
Molecules with the same molecular formula but a different structure- and therefore a different shape.
Lipid
Class of organic compounds that tends to be soluble in nonpolar solvents; includes fats and oils.
Monomer
Small molecule that is a subunit of a polymer�e.g.- glucose is a monomer of starch.
Monosaccharide
Simple sugar; a carbohydrate that cannot be decomposed by hydrolysis�e.g.- glucose.
nucleic acid
Polymer of nucleotides; both DNA and RNA are nucleic acids.
Nucleotide
Monomer of DNA and RNA consisting of a 5-carbon sugar bonded to a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.
Oil
Triglyceride- usually of plant origin- that is composed of glycerol and three fatty acids and is liquid in consistency due to many unsaturated bonds in the hydrocarbon chains of the fatty acids.
organic chemistry
Branch of science which deals with organic molecules including those that are unique to living things.
organic molecule
Molecule that always contains carbon and hydrogen- and often contains oxygen as well; organic molecules are associated with living things.
Pentose
Five-carbon sugar. Deoxyribose is the pentose sugar found in DNA; ribose is the pentose sugar found in RNA.
Peptide
Two or more amino acids joined together by covalent bonding.
peptide bond
Type of covalent bond that joins two amino acids.
Peptidoglycan
Unique molecule found in bacterial cell walls.
Phospholipid
Molecule that forms the bilayer of the cell's membranes; has a polar- hydrophilic head bonded to two nonpolar- hydrophobic tails.
Polymer
Macromolecule consisting of covalently bonded monomers; for example- a polypeptide is a polymer of monomers called amino acids.