BIOCHEMISTRY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does biochemistry mean? 

• BIOCHEMISTRY (noun)
  The noun BIOCHEMISTRY has 1 sense:

1. the organic chemistry of compounds and processes occurring in organisms; the effort to understand biology within the context of chemistry

  Familiarity information: BIOCHEMISTRY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BIOCHEMISTRY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The organic chemistry of compounds and processes occurring in organisms; the effort to understand biology within the context of chemistry

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("biochemistry" is a kind of...):

organic chemistry (the chemistry of compounds containing carbon (originally defined as the chemistry of substances produced by living organisms but now extended to substances synthesized artificially))

Domain member category:

adenosine ((biochemistry) a nucleoside that is a structural component of nucleic acids; it is present in all living cells in a combined form as a constituent of DNA and RNA and ADP and ATP and AMP)

endergonic ((biochemistry) of a process accompanied by or requiring the absorption of energy; the products of the process are of greater free energy than the reactants)

exergonic ((biochemistry) of a process accompanied by the release of energy)

transcribe (convert the genetic information in (a strand of DNA) into a strand of RNA, especially messenger RNA)

coenzyme Q; ubiquinone (any of several quinones found in living cells and that function as coenzymes that transfer electrons from one molecule to another in cell respiration)

cytochrome ((biochemistry) a class of hemoprotein whose principal biological function is electron transfer (especially in cellular respiration))

oligo; oligonucleotide ((biochemistry) a polynucleotide whose molecules contain relatively few nucleotides)

polynucleotide ((biochemistry) a linear polymer whose molecule is composed of many nucleotide units constituting a section of a nucleic acid molecule)

nucleic acid ((biochemistry) any of various macromolecules composed of nucleotide chains that are vital constituents of all living cells)

ribonucleic acid; RNA ((biochemistry) a long linear polymer of nucleotides found in the nucleus but mainly in the cytoplasm of a cell where it is associated with microsomes; it transmits genetic information from DNA to the cytoplasm and controls certain chemical processes in the cell)

deoxyribonucleic acid; desoxyribonucleic acid; DNA ((biochemistry) a long linear polymer found in the nucleus of a cell and formed from nucleotides and shaped like a double helix; associated with the transmission of genetic information)

antagonism ((biochemistry) interference in or inhibition of the physiological action of a chemical substance by another having a similar structure)

A; adenine ((biochemistry) purine base found in DNA and RNA; pairs with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA)

cutin ((biochemistry) a waxy transparent material that occurs in the cuticle of plants and consists of highly polymerized esters of fatty acids)

precursor (a substance from which another substance is formed (especially by a metabolic reaction))

lysis ((biochemistry) dissolution or destruction of cells such as blood cells or bacteria)

sequenator; sequencer ((chemistry) an apparatus that can determine the sequence of monomers in a polymer)

agonist ((biochemistry) a drug that can combine with a receptor on a cell to produce a physiological reaction)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "biochemistry"):

enzymology (the branch of biochemistry dealing with the chemical nature and biological activity of enzymes)

zymology; zymurgy (the branch of chemistry concerned with fermentation (as in making wine or brewing or distilling))

Derivation:

biochemical (of or relating to biochemistry; involving chemical processes in living organisms)

biochemist (someone with special training in biochemistry)

 Context examples 

In biochemistry, a type of molecule that binds to DNA and inserts itself into the DNA structure.

(DNA Intercalating Agent, NCI Dictionary)

The branch of biochemistry dealing with the chemical nature and biological activity of enzymes.

(Enzymology, NCI Thesaurus)

The branch of biochemistry that is specifically concerned with the structure, synthesis, and maintenance of DNA.

(DNA Biochemistry, NCI Thesaurus)

The branch of biochemistry concerned with biochemical changes that take place between fertilization and maturity.

(Developmental Biochemistry, NCI Thesaurus)

Moreover, the solution came straight from the life sciences—biochemistry, in fact.

(Materials for the next generation of electronics and photovoltaics, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The branch of biochemistry concerned with the metabolism of and biological pathways involving cyclic nucleotides.

(Cyclic Nucleotide Biochemistry, NCI Thesaurus)

Frequently referred to simply as HPLC, this form of column chromatography is used frequently in biochemistry.

(High Performance Liquid Chromatography, NCI Thesaurus)

The study of the biochemistry of lipids, including enzyme action.

(Lipid Biochemistry, NCI Thesaurus)

The study of the biochemistry of foods and vitamins as they affect the body

(Nutritional Biochemistry, NCI Thesaurus)

Organic phosphates play important roles in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology.

(Organic Phosphate, NCI Thesaurus)