1 Unit - Basics of the Cell Flashcards
what is the smallest unit of life
the cell
what are the four categories of macromolecules
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids
what is the monomer of carbohydrates
simple sugars
what is the monomer of lipids
fatty acids
what is the monomer of proteins
amino acids
what is the monomer of nucleic acids
nucelotides
the breakdown of complex molecules to simpler ones
catabolism
do catabolism processes release or store energy
release
the synthesis of complex molecules from simpler ones
anabolism
do anabolism processes release or store energy
store
the overarching term that includes both catabolism and anabolism
metabolism
proteins that catalyze a reaction
enzymes
what are the 5 monosaccharides we encounter
glucose, fructose, galactose, ribose, deoxyribose
what are the 3 disaccharides we encounter
maltose, sucrose, lactose
what is maltose?
malt sugar (glucose + glucose)
what is sucrose?
table sugar (glucose + fructose)
what is lactose?
milk sugar (glucose + galactose)
what are the 3 types of polysaccharides we encounter?
glycogen, starch, cellulose
what is glycogen used for
energy storage
what is starch used for
energy storage in plants
what is cellulose used for
plant cell walls
describes the partial positive or partial negative charge that results from unequal sharing of electrons involved in a covalent bond
polar
what makes up a triglyceride
1 glycerol molecule and 3 fatty acid molecules
what do triglycerides provide
protection, insulation, energy
what are the main structural component of cell membranes
phospholipids
what are phospholipids made up of
one polar head and 2 nonpolar tails
what is the overall charge of a phospholipid molecule
neutral
what are sterols
lipids without fatty acids
what is the main structure of sterols?
4 rings of carbon
what is the most common type of sterol
cholesterol
what are the other two examples of sterols
sex hormones and fat soluble vitamins
what is the function of proteins?
enzymes, hormones, antibodies, and structural units
what distinguishes an amino acid from the other amino acids
the R group
how many essential amino acids are there
20
how many amino acids can our body not synthesize?
9
what are amino acids joined together by?
peptide bonds
what does a peptide bond look like
carbon bonded to nitrogen
when there are less than about 50 amino acids, they are generally just called
polypeptides
if there’s 50 or more amino acids they’re calle
proteins
what does a nucloetide consist of
sugar, phosphate group and nitrogen-containing base
what does ATP stand for
adenosine triphosphate
what do nucleic acids play a role in?
transferring inheritable information
a threadlike structure of DNA wrapped around proteins
chromosome
1 DNA + many histones =
1 chromosome
the portion of the DNA molecule coiled around a core of 8 histones
nucleosome
what are the four nitrogen-containing bases
adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine
the nitrogenous bases of two nucleotides connect via ?
hydrogen bonds
what are the three stages of DNA replication?
initiation, elongation, termination
what is the enzyme that adds nucleotides onto an existing strand
DNA polymerase
what are the three parts of a eukaryotic cell?
cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus
what does amphipathic mean
has both polar and non-polar regions
proteins that are permanently anchored within the cell membrane
integral proteins
proteins that are only temporarily attached to the inner or outer surface of the membrane
peripheral
