CHAPTER 4 : CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE CELL

PREPARED BY :
MUHD FAZLI B. DOLLAH
SBPI GOPENG

 Elements : C, H, O, S, N & P.
Large & complex molecules
Monomer : amino acid
Molecules of amino acids are joined
together through condensation
Amino acids are joined together by peptide
bond
Amino acid + amino acid dipeptide +
water
Polypeptides are formed when many
molecules of amino acids are joined together
to form long chains of a.a.
Polypeptides broken down through a series of
hydrolysis reactions to become dipeptides & finally
amino acids.

 20 amino acids found in the proteins

of living cells
Two types of a.a. :
Essential amino acids : cannot synthesised
by body cells
Non-essential amino acids : can be
synthesised by body cells

Food that contain all the essential

a.a. are called 1st class protein. (milk,
meat, eggs)
Food that lacks a few essential a.a.
are 2nd class protein. (corn)

Protein Structures
Primary structure : a long straight
chain of polypeptide
Secondary structure : coiled to form
helix or pleated sheet.
Tertiary structure : helix or pleated
sheet is folded in various ways to
form globular protein
Quarternary structure : folded
protein chains are joined together to
form a single protein