Biochemistry and Macromolecules Quiz

Biochemistry and Macromolecules

• Active site: The enzyme region where substrate binding and reaction occur.
• Allosteric site: Enzyme site where molecules bind, altering enzyme shape and activity.
• Amino acid: Protein building blocks with an amino group, carboxyl group, and side chain.
• Amphipathic: Molecules with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions.
• Anabolic: Metabolic pathways building complex molecules from simple ones, requiring energy.
• Carbohydrate: Organic compounds (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen) providing energy and structure.
• Carbon: Versatile element forming organic molecules' backbone.
• Catabolic: Metabolic pathways breaking down molecules, releasing energy.
• Catalyst: Substance accelerating reactions without being consumed.
• Coenzyme: Non-protein, organic molecule assisting enzyme reactions.
• Denaturation: Loss of protein shape due to changes in heat, pH, or chemicals.
• Disaccharide: Two monosaccharides forming a carbohydrate (e.g., sucrose).
• Hydrogen bond: Weak bond between hydrogen and electronegative atoms (oxygen, nitrogen).
• Hydrophilic: Molecules attracting water.
• Hydrophobic: Molecules repelling water.
• Ion: Atom or molecule with an electric charge due to electron gain or loss.
• Lipid: Hydrophobic organic molecules (fats, oils, phospholipids).
• Macromolecule: Large biological molecules (proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids).
• Monomer: Small molecule forming a polymer.
• Monosaccharide: Single sugar molecule (e.g., glucose).
• Non-polar molecule: Molecule with even charge distribution, not interacting with water.
• Nucleic acid: Biological macromolecules storing genetic information (DNA, RNA).
• Nucleotide: Nucleic acid building block (sugar, phosphate, nitrogenous base).
• Organic molecule: Carbon-containing molecules found in living organisms.
• Peptide bond: Covalent bond connecting amino acids in proteins.
• Polar molecule: Uneven charge distribution (e.g., water).
• Polymer: Large molecules made of repeating monomers.
• Protein: Amino acid-based macromolecule with diverse functions.
• Substrate: Reactant acted upon by an enzyme.
• Water: Polar molecule crucial to life, with properties like cohesion and high heat capacity.

Cell Structure & Function

• Active transport: Energy-requiring substance movement across membranes, against gradients.
• Aquaporin: Membrane protein facilitating water transport.
• Carrier protein: Membrane protein binding and transporting substances.
• Cell wall: Rigid structure supporting and protecting plant, fungi, and bacterial cells outside the membrane.
• Centrioles: Animal cell structures organizing microtubules in cell division.
• Channel protein: Membrane protein allowing specific molecules/ions to pass.
• Chloroplast: Plant cell organelle for photosynthesis.
• Concentration gradient: Difference in substance concentration across a membrane or space.
• Cytoplasm: Jelly-like substance filling cells, excluding the nucleus, containing organelles.
• Cytoskeleton: Protein network giving structural support and enabling movement.
• Diffusion: Passive movement from high to low concentration.
• Endocytosis: Substance uptake into cells via vesicles.
• Endoplasmic reticulum: Membrane network for protein and lipid synthesis (rough ER and smooth ER).
• Golgi apparatus: Organelle modifying, packaging, and transporting proteins/lipids.
• Hypertonic: Solution with higher solute concentration than another, causing water loss from cells.
• Hypotonic: Solution with lower solute concentration, causing water entry into cells.
• Isotonic: Solutions with equal solute concentrations; no net water movement.
• Ligand: Molecule binding to a receptor, triggering a response.
• Lysosome: Organelle with enzymes digesting macromolecules and recycling.
• Membrane: Phospholipid bilayer enclosing cells and organelles, controlling transport.
• Mitochondrion: Cell's "powerhouse," site of cellular respiration and ATP production.
• Neuron: Nerve cell transmitting electrical signals.
• Neurotransmitter: Chemicals transmitting signals across synapses.
• Nuclear envelope: Double membrane surrounding the nucleus.
• Phospholipid: Lipid with a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails forming membranes.
• Plasma membrane: Cell's outer membrane controlling material flow.
• Plasmolysis: Cell membrane shrinking from cell wall due to water loss.
• Prokaryotic cell: Cell without a nucleus (bacteria, archaea).
• Ribosome: Structure synthesizing proteins.
• Rough ER: Endoplasmic reticulum with ribosomes for protein synthesis.
• Selectively permeable: Membrane allowing some substances to pass but not others.
• Smooth ER: Endoplasmic reticulum without ribosomes for lipid synthesis and detoxification.
• Exocytosis: Vesicle fusion with the plasma membrane, releasing substances from the cell.
• Eukaryotic cell: Cell with nucleus and membrane-bound organelles (plants, animals, fungi, protists).
• Facilitated diffusion: Passive transport via transport proteins.
• Flagella: Long, whip-like structures for cell movement.
• Fluid mosaic model: Flexible cell membrane with embedded proteins.
• Nucleus: Organelle with cell's genetic material (DNA).
• Organelles: Specialized structures in cells performing specific functions.
• Osmosis: Water diffusion across a selectively permeable membrane.
• Passive transport: Substance movement across a membrane without energy.
• Phagocytosis: Endocytosis engulfing large particles or cells.
• Surface area-to-volume ratio: Factor affecting material exchange efficiency in cells; smaller cells have higher ratios.
• Transmembrane protein: Protein spanning the entire membrane involved in transport/signaling.
• Vacuole: Storage organelle, large in plant cells.

Energy, Enzymes, & Metabolism

• Absorption spectrum: Light wavelengths absorbed by pigments (e.g., chlorophyll).
• Acetyl CoA: Molecule entering the citric acid cycle.
• Anabolism: Building complex molecules from simple ones.
• Anaerobic metabolism: Energy production without oxygen (e.g., fermentation).
• ATP: Main energy currency in cells.
• ATP synthase: Enzyme producing ATP from hydrogen ion movement.
• Autotroph: Organism producing its own food (photosynthesis, chemosynthesis).
• Calvin cycle: Light-independent photosynthesis, producing glucose.
• Cellular respiration: Glucose breakdown for ATP production.
• Chemiosmosis: Ion movement across a membrane to drive ATP synthesis.
• Chlorophyll: Photosynthesis light-absorbing pigment in chloroplasts.
• Chloroplast: Plant/algae organelle for photosynthesis.
• Citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle): Cellular respiration step generating electron carriers.
• Electron transport chain: Mitochondrial proteins generating ATP.
• FAD/FADH2: Electron carriers in cellular respiration.
• Feedback inhibition: Product inhibiting an enzyme in a pathway.
• Fermentation: Anaerobic process making ATP with byproducts (lactic acid, ethanol).
• Glycolysis: First step in cellular respiration breaking glucose into pyruvate.
• Light-dependent reactions: Photosynthesis capturing light energy, producing ATP and NADPH.
• Light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle): Photosynthesis using ATP and NADPH to synthesize glucose.
• Metabolic pathway: Series of cellular chemical reactions catalyzed by enzymes.
• Mitochondrion: Organelle where cellular respiration occurs, producing ATP.
• NAD/NADH: Electron carriers in cellular respiration.
• NADP/NADPH: Electron carriers in photosynthesis.
• Oxidative phosphorylation: ATP production using electron transport chain energy.
• Photolysis: Water splitting in light-dependent photosynthesis.
• Photosynthesis: Converting light, CO2, and water into glucose and oxygen.
• Photosystem I & II: Light-capturing protein-pigment complexes in thylakoid membranes.
• Pyruvate: Glycolysis end product, entering citric acid cycle or fermentation.
• Stroma: Chloroplast fluid where the Calvin cycle occurs.
• Substrate-level phosphorylation: ATP production during glycolysis and the citric acid cycle.
• Thylakoid membrane: Site of light-dependent reactions in chloroplasts.

Cell Cycle & Division

• Anaphase: Mitosis/meiosis stage where chromatids/chromosomes separate.
• Autosomal: Chromosomes not involved in sex determination.
• Cancer: Uncontrolled cell growth due to cell cycle mutations.
• Cell cycle: Cell life sequence: growth, DNA replication, division.
• Cell division: Process of a cell dividing into two.
• Centrioles: Structures organizing spindle fibers during cell division.
• Chromosome: DNA and protein structure carrying genetic information.
• Crossing over: Exchange of genetic material between homologous chromosomes.
• Crossover frequency: Likelihood of gene exchange during crossing over.
• Cyclin-dependent kinase: Enzymes regulating the cell cycle via cyclins interaction.
• Cytokinesis: Cytoplasm division into two daughter cells.
• Diploid (2N): Cell with two sets of chromosomes.
• Fertilization: Joining of haploid gametes for a diploid zygote formation.
• Gamete: Haploid sex cell (sperm or egg).
• Haploid (1N): Cell with one set of chromosomes.
• Interphase: Cell growth and DNA replication phase.
• Meiosis: Cell division producing four haploid gametes.
• Metaphase: Mitosis/meiosis stage where chromosomes align.
• Mitosis: Cell division producing two genetically identical daughter cells.
• Nuclear division: Nucleus division in mitosis or meiosis.
• Prophase: Mitosis/meiosis stage where chromosomes condense and spindle fibers form.
• Sex chromosome: Chromosomes determining biological sex (X, Y).
• Somatic cell: Body cell not a gamete.
• Synapsis: Homologous chromosomes pair during meiosis.
• Synthesis: DNA replication phase in the cell cycle.
• Telophase: Final mitosis/meiosis stage where nuclei reform.

Test your knowledge on the fundamentals of biochemistry and the role of macromolecules. This quiz covers key concepts such as enzymes, metabolic pathways, and the structure of essential biomolecules. Prepare to explore the intricate world of biological molecules and their functions.