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Functional Groups definitions

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  • Functional Group
    Specific reactive portion of a biomolecule branching from a carbon backbone, often determining chemical properties.
  • Methyl Group
    A CH3 unit attached to a carbon chain, commonly found at the ends of fatty acid hydrocarbon chains.
  • Hydroxyl Group
    An oxygen atom bonded to a hydrogen atom, abundant in carbohydrates and responsible for alcohol properties.
  • Sulfhydryl Group
    A sulfur atom bonded to a hydrogen atom, often present in proteins and contributing to their structure.
  • Carbonyl Group
    A carbon atom double bonded to an oxygen atom, frequently incorporated into other functional groups.
  • Carboxyl Group
    A combination of a carbonyl and hydroxyl group, typically found at the end of amino acids and proteins.
  • Amino Group
    A nitrogen atom bonded to hydrogen atoms, characteristic of proteins and nucleic acid bases.
  • Phosphate Group
    A phosphorus atom surrounded by oxygen atoms, central to nucleic acids and energy molecules.
  • Ether Linkage
    An oxygen atom connecting two carbon chains, commonly seen in carbohydrates and lipids.
  • Ester Linkage
    A bond formed between a carbonyl and an oxygen atom, linking molecules within lipids and other biomolecules.
  • Amide Linkage
    A bond involving a carbonyl group and a nitrogen atom, essential in peptide bonds of proteins.
  • Phosphodiester Linkage
    A connection involving two phosphate ester bonds, crucial for linking nucleotides in nucleic acids.
  • Phosphoanhydride Linkage
    A bond joining two phosphate groups, important in energy storage molecules like ATP.
  • Macromolecule
    Large biomolecule such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, or nucleic acids, built from repeating units and functional groups.
  • CHNOPS
    A mnemonic for the six elements—carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur—comprising most of living matter.