PROPERTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES

Biomolecules

Biochemical substances are chemical substances found in living organisms, it maybe organic or inorganic.
Biomolecules or biochemical compounds are naturally occurring organic macromolecules that are very essential to living
things for instance, carbohydrates serves is the source of energy, the DNA gives information about what proteins are
needed. Each of these biochemical compounds is a polymer. A polymer is a large molecule that is formed b y linking
together many smaller units or molecules called monomers through covalent bonding.

Isolated biochemical molecules have no life of their own, yet when these substances are assembled together in
a cell, their chemical interactions are able to maintain life.

It is also important to note that intermolecular forces of attraction play a significant role in determining the
physical and chemical properties of these biomolecules. Recall the important role of hydrogen bonding in DNA.

Four Classes of Biomolecules

There are four major classes of biomolecules:

1. carbohydrates

2. lipids

3. proteins

4. nucleic acids

Each of these types of biomolecules performs a wide array of important functions within the cell. A cell cannot
perform its role within the body without many different types of these crucial molecules. In combination, these
biological macromolecules make up the majority of a cell's dry mass. (Water molecules make up the majority of a cell's
total mass.) All the molecules both inside and outside of cells are situated in a water-based (i.e., aqueous) environment,
and all the reactions of biological systems are occurring in that same environment.

Mass composition data for the human body

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates contain 1:2:1 mole ratio of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Its empirical formula is (CH2O)n where
n refers to the number of carbon atoms. Carbohydrates are commonly referred to as sugars and starches. It is the most
abundant class of biomolecules (about 75% by mass of dry plant materials) and produced by plants through
photosynthesis.

Carbohydrates contain many –OH groups in its structure and are highly polar molecules because of this. This
makes smaller carbohydrate molecules soluble in our body.

Functions in Humans:

1.] Carbohydrates are an important source of energy that can be used by the cells.

2.] Carbohydrates storage in the form of glycogen, provides a short-term energy reserve.

3.] Supply C atoms for the synthesis of other biomolecules.

4.] Form part of the structural framework of DNA and RNA molecules.

Carbohydrates can be classified as simple or complex. Simple carbohydrates include sugars (sugar is a general
designation given to either monosaccharide or disaccharide). They are small molecules, sweet, readily soluble in water,
has crystalline structure and are immediate source of energy. Example: sucrose which is commonly known as table
sugar. Complex carbohydrates on the other hand are polysaccharides. They are macromolecules, not sweet, insoluble or
slightly soluble in water and non-crystalline. They serve as structural materials for cell, food and energy. For example
glycogen (monomer: glucose units only) which serve as storage polysaccharide in animals. When glucose is in excess or
not needed right away by our body, it is stored in the form of glycogen. When one becomes active, this polysaccharide is
broken down (breaking of chemical bond) to glucose units to supply energy.

Simple and complex carbohydrates

(Monosaccharide: glucose and fructose; disaccharide: sucrose; polysaccharide: glycogen)

Task # 1: Answer the following?

1.] Differentiate the terms monosaccharide, disaccharide, and polysaccharide.

2.] What bond/linkage holds simple carbohydrates (monosaccharides) together to form a complex carbohydrate?

3.] Why are simple carbohydrates soluble but complex carbohydrates are not?
4.] Complete the table below.

Carbohydrate Classification Function Occurrence Other Properties

(Monosaccharide,
Dissacharide,
Polysaccharide)
Glucose
Fructose
Galactose
Sucrose
Lactose
Glycogen
Chitin
Starch

Lipids

Lipids are organic compounds found in living organisms (biomolecules) that contain fatty acids or a steroid
nucleus. Unlike other macromolecules, lipids do not form polymers. The unifying feature of lipids is that they all have
little or no affinity for water but they are found to be soluble in non-polar organic solvents. This is because they consist
mostly of hydrocarbons, which form nonpolar covalent bonds thus they lack polar and H-bonding functional groups
(recall like dissolves like). Lipids are highly diverse in form and function.

Steroid nucleus (cholesterol)

Task #2: Answer the following.

1.] Why are lipids insoluble in water?

2.] What are the functions of lipids in the body?

3.] Categories of Lipids. Complete the table below.

Function Lipids Properties Description

Energy-storage Lipids
Membrane Lipids
 Emulsification Lipids
Chemical Messenger
Lipids
Protective-coating
Lipids
4.] What is a lipid bilayer? What is its importance in the body?

Proteins

A protein is a naturally-occurring, unbranched polymer in which the monomer units are amino acids. Proteins
are most abundant molecules in the cells after water. They account for about 15% of a cell’s overall mass and are more
complex than carbohydrates or lipids. A protein is mainly composed of several thousands of atoms of carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen, and nitrogen. It also contains Sulfur (S), some contain phosphorus (P) and some other metals in some
specialized proteins.

There are 20 standard amino acids (- amino acids normally present in proteins) each of which contain side
groups that vary in their properties. Thus the properties and functions of proteins is affected by the number and order
by which these amino acids are arranged.

Task #3: Answer the following.

1.] What bond holds amino acids together to form a larger molecule like proteins?

2.] What is an amino acid? What is its structural components?

3.] Complete the table below.

Functions Proteins Occurrence Properties

Fibrous proteins
Transport proteins
Storage proteins
Contractile Proteins
Antibodies

Nucleic Acids

Nucleic acids are found in the nucleus and are acidic in nature. They are unbranched polymers composed of
repeating monomers of nucleotides. Thus nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic acids. Basically a nucleotide is
composed of a nitrogen-containing base, phosphate group, and a monosaccharide. These three components are
covalently bonded together. The nucleic acids, RNA and DNA, differ from each other depending on the type of
monosaccharide contained in the nucleotide that is, ribose for RNA and D-2-deoxyribose for DNA.

Monosaccharide in RNA Monosaccharide in DNA

 Base

Phosphate Sugar

Components of a nucleotide

The DNA structure has two strands which is coiled to form a double helix. The nonpolar nitrogenous base
stacking in the double helix is oriented towards the inside while the polar phosphate groups are oriented outward so
that the DNA will be soluble in the aqueous polar environment. The structure is further stabilized by H-bonding of the
nitrogenous bases between the two strands. In this way, the important genetic information encoded in the DNA will be
protected.