Biological Molecules

• Adenosine triphosphate (ATP): A molecule that acts as the energy currency of cells formed from a molecule of ribose, a molecule of adenine and three phosphate groups.
• Hydrolysis: Breaking a chemical bond between two molecules involving the use of a water molecule.
• Cellulose: A polysaccharide made of beta glucose monomers that is used as a structural polysaccharide which provides strength to plant cell walls.
• Biuret test: A biochemical test that produces a purple solution in the presence of protein.
• Latent heat: The amount of energy needed for a substance to change state.
• Condensation reaction: A type of reaction that joins two molecules together with the formation of a chemical bond involving the elimination of a molecule of water.
• Lipid emulsion test: A biochemical test that produces a cloudy emulsion when performed on lipids.
• Dipeptide: Molecules formed by the condensation of two amino acids.
• Maltose: A disaccharide formed by condensation of two glucose molecules.
• Disaccharide: Molecules formed by the condensation of two monosaccharides.
• Metabolite: A molecule formed or used in metabolic reactions.
• DNA helicase: An enzyme that breaks the hydrogen bonds between the two DNA strands in the DNA molecule that is going to be replicated.
• Monomers: The smaller units from which larger molecules are made
• Monosaccharide: The individual sugar monomers from which larger carbohydrates are made.
• Phospholipid: A type of lipid formed by the condensation of one molecule of glycerol, two molecules of fatty acid and a phosphate group.
• Polypeptide: Molecules formed by the condensation of many amino acids
• Heat capacity: The amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of a substance by a specific amount.
• Enzyme: A protein molecule that acts as a biological catalyst and increases the rate of biochemical reactions.
• Polysaccharide: Molecules formed by the condensation of many monosaccharides.
• Primary structure: The individual sequence of amino acids in a protein.
• Glycosidic bond: A bond between two monosaccharides formed in a condensation reaction.
• Quaternary structure: A structure only applicable to proteins with multiple polypeptide chains that describes the interactions of the different chains.
• Ribonucleic acid (RNA): A relatively short molecule made up of ribonucleotide monomers joined by phosphodiester bonds.
• Secondary structure:The local interactions of the amino acids in the polypeptide chain.
• Semi conservative replication: The production of two daughter DNA molecules from one DNA molecule which both contain one original DNA strand and one newly synthesised strand.
• Solvent: A substance which other solutes are dissolved in.
• Starch: A polysaccharide made of alpha glucose monomers that is used as the main storage of energy in plants.
• Sucrose: A disaccharide formed by condensation of a glucose molecule and a fructose molecule.
• Tertiary structure: The way that the whole protein folds to make a three dimensional structure.
• Triglyceride: A type of lipid formed by the condensation of one molecule of glycerol and three molecules of fatty acid.
• Glycogen: A highly branched polysaccharide made of alpha glucose monomers that is used as the main storage of energy in humans and animals.
• Active immunity: A form of immunity provided by the immune response of the body upon detection of a pathogen.
• Co-transport: A method of membrane transport where two substances are both transported across a membrane at the same time either in the same direction or opposite directions.
• Cytokinesis: Division of the cytoplasm to produce two new cells.
• Antibody: A protein found in the blood that is produced by plasma cells which binds to antigens as a part of the immune response.
• Facilitated diffusion: The passive movement of substances from a high concentration to a lower concentration (down their concentration gradient)
• Flagella: A whip-like structure found on bacterial cells that is used for cell movement.
• Antigen: Marker molecules that can be detected by antibodies and trigger an immune response.
• Cell cycle: The series of stages preparing the cell for division consisting of interphase and mitosis.
• Golgi apparatus: An organelle found in eukaryotic cells that is involved in the modification and packaging of proteins.