Chapter 3 : Molecules of the Cell (Notes 3) Flashcards
Steroids
lipids in which the carbon skeleton contains 4 fused rings
Sterols
Subgroup of unsaturated steroids that typically form a waxy solid including cholesterol
Protein Function
Involved in nearly every function of your body including building our organs and speeding up chemical reactions
Protein Structure
Composed of various arrangments of 20 amino acid monomers joined together by peptide bonds
Amino acid structure
Made of amino group and a carboxyl group
Types of proteins
Enzymes Structural proteins Contractile proteins Defensive proteins Signal proteins Receptor proteins Transport proteins Storage proteins
Enzymes
Serve as medical catalysts and regulate the chemical reactions within cells
Structural proteins
Provide associations between body parts
Contractile proteins
Actin and myosin within muscle cells
Defensive proteins
Antibodies and antigens of the immune system
Signal proteins
Hormones and other chemical messengers of the body
Receptor proteins
Transmit signals into cells
Transport proteins
Carry oxygen and other substances into/out of cells
Storage proteins
Serve as a source of amino acids for developing embryos
Denature (denaturation)
Process of breaking down a protein
Primary structure
Unique amino acid sequence, determined by genetic information
Secondary structure
Helical structure called an alpha helix which then folds into a beta pleated sheet
Tertiary structure
Overall 3D structure of the protein
- caused by interactions between the the R groups of the various amino acids
Quaternary structure
multiple polypeptide chains joining together
Nucleic acid
Macromolecule polymer, or a polynucleotide, formed from the nucleotide monomers DNA or RNA
Nucleotide
Monomer consisting of 3 units: 5 carbon sugar, phosphate group, and a nitrogen base
Genes
Discrete units of inheritance that encode for amino acid sequence of a polypeptides or protein
