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Four Classes of Macromolecules definitions

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  • Polysaccharide
    Large carbohydrate formed by repeated monosaccharide units linked by glycosidic bonds, serving as energy storage or structural support.
  • Monosaccharide
    Simple sugar subunit with a basic chemical formula, acting as the building block for larger carbohydrate molecules.
  • Glycosidic Bond
    Covalent linkage between monosaccharides, formed via carbon and hydroxyl groups, connecting sugar units in carbohydrates.
  • Nucleotide
    Subunit of nucleic acids, consisting of a base, a five-carbon sugar, and a phosphate group, essential for genetic information.
  • Phosphodiester Bond
    Covalent connection joining nucleotides in nucleic acids, crucial for the linear sequence encoding genetic instructions.
  • Purine
    Nitrogenous base with two fused rings, found in DNA and RNA, including adenine and guanine.
  • Pyrimidine
    Single-ring nitrogenous base present in nucleic acids, such as cytosine, thymine, and uracil.
  • Amino Acid
    Organic molecule with an alpha carbon, amino group, carboxyl group, and unique side chain, forming protein subunits.
  • Peptide Bond
    Covalent linkage between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of another, forming polypeptide chains.
  • R Group
    Variable side chain of an amino acid, determining its chemical properties and influencing protein structure and function.
  • Disulfide Bridge
    Strong covalent bond between sulfur atoms of cysteine residues, stabilizing protein tertiary structure.
  • Phospholipid
    Amphipathic molecule with two fatty acids and a polar group, forming the structural basis of cellular membranes.
  • Triglyceride
    Lipid composed of three fatty acids linked to glycerol, serving as a dense energy storage molecule.
  • Steroid
    Lipid with a characteristic ring structure, involved in hormone signaling and membrane architecture.
  • Fatty Acid
    Long, unbranched hydrocarbon chain with a terminal carboxyl group, forming part of many lipid molecules.