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Biology > DEFINITIONS > Flashcards

DEFINITIONS Flashcards

1
Q

Homeostasis

A

Regulation of the internal environment to maintain a constant state.

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2
Q

Alternative splicing

A

A process in which primary transcripts from the same gene can be spliced in different ways to yield different mRNAs and therefore different protein products.

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3
Q

Amino acid

A

Building blocks of proteins.

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4
Q

Anticodon

A

The sequence of three nucleotides in a tRNA molecule that base pairs with the corresponding codon in an mRNA molecule.

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5
Q

ATP synthase

A

An enzyme that couples the movement of protons through the enzyme with the synthesis of ATP.

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6
Q

Autotroph

A

An organism that is able to synthesize its own food using energy from sunlight or inorganic chemicals.

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7
Q

Base

A

A nitrogen-containing compound that makes up part of a nucleotide.

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8
Q

Beta sheet

A

One of the two principal types of secondary structure found in proteins.

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9
Q

Calvin cycle

A

The process in which carbon dioxide is reduced to synthesize carbohydrates with ATP and NADPH as the energy sources.

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10
Q

Carbohydrate

A

An organic molecule containing C, H, and O atoms that provides a source of energy for metabolism and that forms the starting point for the synthesis of all other organic molecules.

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11
Q

Carboxyl end

A

The end of a polypeptide chain that has a free carboxyl group.

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12
Q

Carboxyl group

A

A carbon atom with a double bond to oxygen and a single bond to a hydroxyl group.

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13
Q

Cell

A

The simplest self-reproducing entity that can exist as an independent unit of life.

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14
Q

Central dogma

A

DNA -> RNA -> protein

The idea that information flows from nucleic acids to proteins.

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15
Q

Chemoreceptor

A

A receptor that responds to molecules that bind to specific protein receptors on the cell membrane of the sensory receptor.

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16
Q

Chemotroph

A

An organism that derives its energy directly from organic molecules such as glucose.
- type of metabolism (fungi, bacteria…)

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17
Q

Citric acid cycle

A

The third stage of cellular respiration in which acetyl-CoA is broken down and carbon dioxide is released.

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18
Q

Cohesion

A

Attraction between molecules, surface tension.

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19
Q

Complementary

A

Describes the relationship of purine and pyridine bases where base A only binds with T (or U) and G only pairs with C.

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20
Q

Complementary DNA

A

A DNA molecule produced by reverse transcriptase from an RNA template.

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21
Q

Covalent bond

A

A chemical bond formed by a shared pair of electrons holding two different atoms together.

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22
Q

Cytoplasm

A

The contents of the cell other than the nucleus.

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23
Q

Cytoskeleton

A

Helps eukaryotic cells maintain their shape.

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24
Q

Daughter strand

A

The strand synthesized from a parental template in DNA replication.

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25
Q

Deoxyribonucleic acid

A

DNA - the information archive in all organisms.

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26
Q

Deoxyribose

A

The sugar in DNA

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27
Q

Depolarization

A

An increase in membrane potential from a negative resting potential.

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28
Q

DNA polymerase

A

An enzyme that is a critical component of a large protein complex that carries out DNA replication.

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29
Q

DNA replication

A

The process of duplicating a DNA molecule during which the parental stands separate and new partner strands are made.

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30
Q

Double bond

A

A covalent bond in which covalently joined atoms share two pairs of electrons.

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31
Q

Double helix

A

The structure formed by two strands of complementary nucleotides that coil around each other.

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32
Q

Duplication

A

A region of chromosome that is present twice instead of once.

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33
Q

Electrochemical gradient

A

A gradient that combines the charge gradient and the chemical gradient of protons and other ions.

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34
Q

Electron

A

A negatively charged particle that move around the atomic nucleus.

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35
Q

Endoplasmic reticulum

A

ER - An organelle composed of a network of membranes that is involved in the synthesis of proteins and lipids.

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36
Q

Eukaryote

A

An organism whose cells have a true nucleus.

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37
Q

Exon

A

A sequence that is left intact in mRNA after RNA splicing.

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38
Q

Golgi apparatus

A

The organelle that modifies proteins and lipids produced by the endoplasmic reticulum and acts as sorting station as they move to their final destination.

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39
Q

Heterotroph

A

An organism that obtains its carbon from organic molecules synthesized by other organisms.

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40
Q

Hydophillic

A

Water loving - class of molecules with which water can undergo hydrogen bonding.

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41
Q

Hydrophobic

A

Water fearing - class of molecules poorly able to undergo hydrogen bonding with water.

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42
Q

Hyrophobic effect

A

The exclusion of non polar molecules by polar molecules which drives biological processes such as the formation of cell membranes and the folding of proteins.

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43
Q

Initiation factor

A

A protein that binds to mRNA to initiate translation.

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44
Q

Inhibitor

A

A synthesized compound that decreases the activity of an enzyme.

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45
Q

Ion

A

An electrically charged atom or molecule.

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46
Q

Intron

A

A nucleotide sequence that is excised from the primary transcript and degraded during RNA splicing.

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47
Q

Isomers

A

Molecules that have the same chemical formula but different structures.

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48
Q

Isotopes

A

Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.

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49
Q

Kinetic energy

A

The energy of motion.

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50
Q

Lariat

A

A loop and tail of RNA formed after RNA splicing.

51
Q

Lipid

A

A hydrocarbon molecule that is soluble in non-polar solvents but not in water.
Lipids store energy, act as signaling molecules, and are a component of cell membranes.

52
Q

Lysosome

A

A vesicle derived from the Golgi apparatus that contains enzymes that break down macromolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, lipids, and complex carbohydrates.

53
Q

Messenger RNA

A

mRNA - combines with a ribosome to direct protein synthesis.

Carries the genetic “message” from the DNA to the ribosome.

54
Q

Metabolism

A

The chemical reactions occurring within cells that convert one molecule to another and transfer energy in living organisms.

55
Q

Mitochondria

A

Specialized organelles that are the site of respiration in eukaryotic cells, oxidizing chemical compounds such as sugars to carbon dioxide and transferring their chemical energy to ATP.

56
Q

Mitochondrial matrix

A

The space enclosed by the inner membrane of the mitochondria.

57
Q

Molecule

A

A substance made up of two or more atoms.

58
Q

Nonpolar

A

Describes compounds that do not have regions of positive and negative charge.

59
Q

Nonpolar covalent bond

A

A covalent bond between atoms that have the same electronegativity.

60
Q

Nuclear envelope

A

The cell structure composed of two membranes, inner and outer, that defines the boundary of the nucleus.

61
Q

Nucleic acid

A

A polymer of nucleotides that encodes and transmits genetic information.

62
Q

Nucleoid

A

In prokaryotes, a cell structure with multiple loops formed from supercoils of DNA.

63
Q

Nucleoside

A

Sugar + base

64
Q

Nucleotide

A

Sugar + base + phosphate

65
Q

Nucleus (of an atom)

A

The central part of an atom containing protons and neutrons.

66
Q

Nucleus (of a cell)

A

The compartment of the cell that houses the DNA in chromosomes.

67
Q

Osmosis

A

The net movement of a solvent, such as water, across a selectively permeable membrane toward the side of a higher solute concentration.

68
Q

Oxidative phosphorylation

A

A set of metabolic reactions that occur by passing electrons along an electron transport chain to the final electron acceptor, oxygen, pumping protons across a membrane, and using the proton electrochemical gradient to drive synthesis of ATP.

69
Q

Oxygenic

A

Producing oxygen.

70
Q

Peptide bond

A

A covalent bond that links the carbon atom in the carboxyl group of one amino acid to the nitrogen atom in the amino group of another amino acid.

71
Q

Peptidyl site

A

One of the three binding sites for tRNA on the large subunit of a ribosome.

72
Q

Phenotype

A

The expressed physical, behavioral, and biochemical traits of an individual. (height, weight, eye color…)

73
Q

Phosphatase

A

An enzyme that removes a phosphate group from another molecule.

74
Q

Phosphate group

A

A chemical group consisting of a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms.

75
Q

Phospholipid

A

Type of lipid and a major component of the cell membrane.

76
Q

Pituitary gland

A

An endocrine gland located at the base of the vertebrate brain that produces a number of different hormones and controls many of the other organs in the endocrine system.

77
Q

Polar

A

A molecule that has regions of positive and negative charge.

78
Q

Polar covalent bond

A

Bonds that do not share electrons equally.

79
Q

Polypeptide

A

A polymer of amino acids connected by peptide bonds.

80
Q

Potential energy

A

Stored energy that is released by a change in an object’s structure or position.

81
Q

Prokaryote

A

An organism whose cell or cells do not have a membrane bound nucleus. (bacteria)

82
Q

Proteins

A

The key structural and functional molecules that do the work of the cell, providing structural support and catalyzing chemical reactions. (protein is a synonym for polypeptide)

83
Q

Purine

A

In nucleic acids, either of the bases adenine and guanine, which have a double-ring structure.

84
Q

Pyrimidine

A

In nucleic acids, any of the bases thymine, cytosine, and uracil, which have a single-ring structure.

85
Q

R group

A

A chemical group attached to the central carbon atom of an amino acid, whose structure and composition determine the identity of the amino acid.

86
Q

Receptor

A

A molecule on cell membranes that detects critical features of the environment. Receptors detecting signals that easily cross the cell membrane are sometimes found in the cytoplasm.

87
Q

Receptor activation

A

The “turning on” of a receptor, which often occurs when a signaling molecule binds to a receptor on a responding cell.

88
Q

Receptor protein

A

The molecule on the responding cell that binds to the signaling molecule.

89
Q

Release factor

A

A protein that causes a finished polypeptide chain to be freed from the ribosome.

90
Q

Replication

A

The process of copying DNA so genetic information can be passed from cell to cell.

91
Q

Repressor

A

A protein that, when bound with a sequence in DNA, can inhibit transcription.

92
Q

Responding cell

A

The cell that receives information from the signaling molecule.

93
Q

Restriction enzyme

A

Any one of a class of enzymes that recognizes specific nucleotide sequences in double-stranded DNA and cleaves DNA at or near those sites.

94
Q

Restriction site

A

A recognition sequence in DNA cutting which is typically four or six base pairs long.

95
Q

Ribonucleic acid

A

RNA - a molecule chemically related to DNA that is synthesized by proteins from a DNA template.

96
Q

Ribose

A

The sugar in RNA.

97
Q

Ribosome

A

A complex structure of RNA and protein bound to the face of the rough endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasm, on which proteins are synthesized.

98
Q

Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase

A

Rubisco - the enzyme that catalyzes the carboxylation reaction in the Calvin cycle.

99
Q

Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate

A

RuBP - the 5-carbon sugar to which carbon dioxide is added by the enzyme rubisco.

100
Q

RNA editing

A

The process in which some RNA molecules become a substrate for enzymes that modify particular bases in the RNA, thereby changing its sequence and sometimes what it codes for.

101
Q

RNA polymerase

A

The enzyme that carries out polymerization of ribonucleoside triphosphate from a DNA template to produce an RNA transcript.

102
Q

RNA splicing

A

The process of intron removal from the primary transcript.

103
Q

Secondary active transport

A

Active transport that uses the energy of an electrochemical gradient to drive the movement of molecules.

104
Q

Sensory receptor cell

A

A sensory neuron with specialized membranes in which receptor proteins are embedded.

105
Q

Sigma factor

A

A protein that associates with RNA polymerase that facilitates its binding to specific promoters.

106
Q

Signal sequence

A

An amino acid sequence that directs a protein to its proper cellular compartment.

107
Q

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum

A

The portion of the endoplasmic reticulum that lacks ribosomes.

108
Q

Solute

A

A dissolved molecule such as the electrolytes, amino acids, and sugars often found in a solvent such as water.

109
Q

Stroma

A

The region of the chloroplast where the Calvin cycle takes place.

110
Q

Substrate

A

A molecule acted upon by an enzyme.

111
Q

Supercoil

A

When a circular molecule of DNA coils upon itself.

112
Q

T cell receptor

A

A protein receptor on a T cell that recognizes and binds to an antigen.

113
Q

Telomerase

A

An enzyme containing an RNA template from which complementary telomere repeats are synthesized.

114
Q

Telomere

A

A repeating sequence at the end of a eukaryotic chromosome.

115
Q

Template strand

A

In DNA replication, the parental strand whose sequence is used to synthesize the complementary daughter strand.

116
Q

Termination

A

In protein translation, the time at which the addition of amino acids stops and the completed polypeptide chain is released from the ribosome.
In cell communication, the stopping of a signal.

117
Q

Terminator

A

A DNA sequence at which transcription stops and the transcript is released.

118
Q

Thymine

A

A pyrimidine base.

119
Q

Transcription

A

The synthesis of RNA from a DNA template.

120
Q

Transfer RNA

A

tRNA - noncoding RNA that carries individual amino acids for use in translation.

121
Q

Translation

A

Synthesis of a polypeptide chain corresponding to the coding sequence present in a molecule of messenger RNA.

122
Q

Unsaturated

A

Describes fatty acids that contain carbon-carbon double bonds.

123
Q

Valence electrons

A

The electrons farthest from the nucleus which are at the highest energy level.

124
Q

Saturated

A

Describes fatty acids that do not contain double bonds.

Biology (9 decks)

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