| The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07. |
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| macromolecule |
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| term that may refer either to a crystal such as a diamond, in which the atoms are identical and held by covalent bonds (see chemical bond) of equal strength, or to one of the units that compose a polymer. Macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids are vital to the functions of living cells. |
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| | | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright © 2007 Columbia University Press. |
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