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ubiquinone

ubiquinone

9.9
A molecule in cells that helps make energy by moving electrons between other molecules
  • noun
  • /juːˈbɪkwɪˌnoʊn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ubiquinona
  • In the process of cellular respiration, ubiquinone transfers electrons between different molecules.
  • ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10)
  • ubiquinone (coenzyme)

Examples

  • The supplement CoQ10, which contains ubiquinone, is known for its role in energy production.

  • So this here is ubiquinone, the oxidized form.

  • During energy production in cells, ubiquinone acts as a coenzyme that helps in converting nutrients into energy.

Synonyms

coenzyme Q
vsubiquinone
  • Specialized
6.2

A molecule in cells that helps make energy by transferring electrons

is a single specific quinone compound that transfers electrons between molecules

Surface Forms

ubiquinone singular
ubiquinones plural

Morphology

ubiquinone = quinone (semi-transparent) = ubiqui + quinone

The first element suggests 'ubiquitous' ('everywhere'), which is fairly transparent, but 'quinone' is a technical chemical term unknown to most learners, so the overall meaning is not fully inferable by a typical B1 learner.

Etymology

Ubiquinone comes from the Latin ubique meaning 'everywhere' and the chemical name quinone, so it literally means a quinone that is all over. It was named this because the molecule appears in many kinds of living cells and helps transfer electrons to make energy.