11/5/2019

Introduction to Biomolecules

Carbon
 Atoms have unique bonding properties
 Forms covalent bonds with up to four other atoms
 Carbon-based molecules have three general types of
structures:
1. straight chain
2. branched chain
3. ring

Carbon-based molecules are

the foundation of life.

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Carbon

Carbon

 Many carbon-based molecules are made of many

small subunits bonded together
 Monomers are the individual subunits.
 Polymers are made of many monomers.

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Carbon based molecules are called

organic compounds
 Organic Compound =
compound containing C, H, O
and sometimes N, P, S
 Macromolecule = very large
molecule made up of
multiple organic compounds

4 Types of Macromolecules
1. Carbohydrates
2. Lipids
3. Proteins
4. Nucleic Acids

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CARBOHYDRATES
 Made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (C,H,O)
 Include sugars and starches.

CARBOHYDRATES

 Monosaccharides are simple sugars.

 Monosaccharides are the building blocks for
all larger carbs
 Monomers of Carbohydrates

 Disaccharides & Polysaccharides

include starches, cellulose, and
glycogen.

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CARBOHYDRATE Functions
 Carbohydrates can be broken down to provide energy for cells.
 Some carbohydrates are part of cell structure.

Starch is a polymer
Polymer (starch) of glucose monomers
that often has a
branched structure.

Polymer (cellulose)

monomer
Cellulose is a
polymer of glucose
monomers that has a
straight, rigid
structure

What are the different among cellulose, starch and glycogen

CARBOHYDRATES according to their glycosidic acid?

 Summary – 3 Types of Carbohydrates

 1. monosaccharides – single sugar (monomer)
 Ex. Glucose, fructose, galactose
 2. Disaccharide: 2 simple sugars
 Ex. Sucrose (table sugar) maltose
 3. polysaccharides: 3 or more sugars (complex carbs)
 Ex. Cellulose – used in cell walls
 Starch stores energy in plants
 Glycogen – stored energy in animals

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LIPIDS
 Organic compounds made up of C, H, & O, but not in any fixed
ratio.
 The building blocks of lipids are fatty acids.
 Usually 3 fatty acids combine with one glycerol to form a
triglyceride.
 properties of fats and oils are determined by the fatty acids that
make them up

LIPIDS
 Lipids are unique because they are the only macromolecule that
are not polymers!
 Triglycerides make a group, not a chain
 3 fatty acids + 1 glycerol

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Phospholipids and cell membranes

 P-lipids make up the majority of cell membranes

including:
 The plasma membrane
 Nuclear envelope
 Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
 Golgi apparatus
 Membrane-bound vesicles

Structure of single P-lipid

The 3 C’s of glycerol are bound to:

2 fatty acid chains
phosphate

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Cell environment organizes P-lipid

bilayer to proper orientation

Hydrophilic (polar) “heads” of P-lipid oriented to

the exterior; hydrophobic (non-polar) “tails”
oriented to the interior

Lipids
 Saturated fat = Carbon atoms are joined by single bonds
(usually solid fats)
 Unsaturated fat = Carbon chain contains double or
triple bonds (usually oils)

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Saturated and Unsaturated Fats

Lipid Function
 Often called fats or oils, but are large macromolecules
with 3 primary functions:
1. broken down as a source of energy
2. make up cell membranes (phospholipids)
3. used to make hormones

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LIPIDS

 Phospholipids make up all cell membranes.

– Polar phosphate “head”
– Nonpolar fatty acid “tails”

Phospholipid

PROTEINS
 Organic compounds that contain C, H, O & N.
 Every cell contains protein
 Made up of amino acids (monomer)
 Functions of protein:
 Used in structural components.
 Messengers and receptors on the cell membrane
 Defend against disease
 Act as facilitators for chemical reactions (ENZYMES)

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PROTEINS
 Amino acids the building blocks of proteins!!
 They consist of a central carbon atom with a H, a –
COOH, a NH2 and a “R” group attached.
 The “R” group is different for each of the 20 different
amino acids.

Carboxyl group
Amino group

PROTEINS
 Peptide Bond = holds together amino acids into a large
macromolecule called a polypeptide chain.
 Longer polypeptides are called proteins and can be made up
of 50 – 300 amino acids.

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Proteins
 The order of amino acids give a protein its shape and the shape
determines the protein’s function.
 Incorrect amino acids change a protein’s structure and function.
 Or cause protein NOT to function

 Enzymes = Proteins that speed up the rate of chemical

reactions
 Without enzymes chemical reactions would occur too slowly
for life to exist.

NUCLEIC ACIDS
 Organic molecule made up of C,H,O,N,& P
 Passed from parent to offspring, one copy from each parent for a total
of 2 complete sets.
 Nucleic acids determine amino acid sequence in proteins which in
turn control all life processes
 DNA forms the genes or units of genetic material that determine
your characteristics

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Nucleic Acids
 Nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic acids
(monomers)
 Each nucleotide is made up of 3 parts:
 A 5 Carbon sugar (deoxyribose or ribose)
 A phosphate group
 A nitrogen base ( a ring containing C, H, & N)

A phosphate group nitrogen-containing molecule,

called a base

deoxyribose (sugar)

NUCLEIC ACIDS

 DNA Bases: Adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, and uracil.

 Uracil replaces Thymine in RNA

 DNA – Deoxyribose NUCLEIC ACID

 RNA – Ribose NUCLEIC acid

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Circle a nucelotide

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QUESTION?

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