Topic 1 - Biological molecules

• Monomers are smaller units from which larger molecules/polymers are made.
• Polymers are long chains of monomers joined together via condensation reactions.
• Amino acid: The monomers containing an amino group (NH2), a carboxyl group (COOH) and a variable R group that make up proteins
• Biuret test: A biochemical test that produces a purple solution in the presence of protein
• Cellulose: A polysaccharide made of beta glucose monomers that is used as a structural polysaccharide which provides strength to plant cell walls
• 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
• Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA): An information storing molecule made up of deoxyribonucleotide monomers joined by phosphodiester bonds to form a double helix
• Dipeptide: Molecules formed by the condensation of two amino acids
• Disaccharide: Molecules formed by the condensation of two monosaccharides
• DNA helicase: An enzyme that breaks the hydrogen bonds between the two DNA strands in the DNA molecule that is going to be replicated
• DNA polymerase: An enzyme that catalyses the condensation reactions between the new nucleotides in the synthesis of the new DNA strand
• Enzyme: A protein molecule that acts as a biological catalyst and increases the rate of biochemical reactions
• Glycogen: A highly branched polysaccharide made of alpha glucose monomers that is used as the main storage of energy in humans and animals
• Glycosidic bond: A bond between two monosaccharides formed in a condensation reaction
• Induced-fit model: A model of enzyme action that describes how enzymes undergo subtle conformational changes to better fit the substrate
• Iodine test: A biochemical test used to test for the presence of starch
• Lactose: A disaccharide formed by condensation of a glucose molecule and a galactose molecule
• Latent heat: The amount of energy needed for a substance to change state
• Lipid emulsion test: A biochemical test that produces a cloudy emulsion when performed on lipids
• Maltose: A disaccharide formed by condensation of two glucose molecules
• Metabolite: A molecule formed or used in metabolic reactions
• 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
• Polymers: Molecules made from a large number of monomers joined together
• Polypeptide: Molecules formed by the condensation of many amino acids
• Polysaccharide: Molecules formed by the condensation of many monosaccharides
• Primary structure: The individual sequence of amino acids in a protein
• 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
• Glycosidic bond


  The bond between monosaccharides in carbohydrates
• Peptide bonds


  THe bonds between amino acids in protiens
• Phosphodiester bonds


  Bonds between DNA nucleotides in DNA stands