Physical Science

Module 4:
Biological
Macromolecules
Presented by:
MISS NOELEEN N. SIBAYAN, T1
Most Essential Learning Competency
•explain how the structures of
biological macromolecules such as
carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acid
and proteins determine their
properties and functions
•(S11/12PS-111e-22)
Specific learning objectives:
1. identify the four biological macromolecules
2. describe the structures of carbohydrates, proteins,
nucleic acids and lipids from one another
3. distinguish the properties and functions of the
biological macromolecules
4. relate the broad functions of the macromolecules
to their complex structures
Activity 1: You Are What You Eat!
Name of Food Classification
(Carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acid, lipids)

1
2
3
4
5
Four Classes Of Biological Macromolecules
1. Carbohydrates
• A carbohydrate comprises the bulk of a
typical meal because it is an energy
source.
• It is said to be the most abundant
molecule on earth made up of three
most common elements in nature – C, H
and O.
• Carbohydrates are classified into three:
monosaccharides, disaccharides and
polysaccharides
Monosaccharides (‘sacchar’ means sweet)
• This is carbohydrates with about three to seven carbon atoms.
• The most common carbohydrate is glucose. It is the simplest
molecule that could be absorbed by the cells. It is sweet, colorless,
solid at room temperature and extremely soluble in water.
• Examples of monosaccharides are glucose, fructose, galactose
Disaccharides.
• As the name implies, this carbohydrate is made up of two rings of
carbon resulting from the combination of monosaccharides in a
process known as dehydration synthesis.
• The process is dehydration because a molecule of water is
removed and synthesis because two monosaccharides are put
together. Examples are sucrose, lactose, and maltose.
Polysaccharides
• Polysaccharides contain more than ten (10) monosaccharide units
and can be a hundred of sugar units. The chain maybe branched or
unbranched. There are two (2) distinct types: starch and non-
starch.
Starch Polysaccharides
• These are the main energy reserve in root vegetables such as
onions, carrots, potatoes, and whole grains.
• Some starches can only be digested by the gut microbiota rather
than our own body’s mechanisms: these are known as resistant
starches like those found in beans, peas, lentils, green bananas,
whole grains like oat & barley, cooked and cooled rice.
• The corresponding polysaccharide in animals is glycogen.
Non - starch Polysaccharides
• These are the dietary fiber group.
• They are found in vegetables, fruits, whole grains in the form of
cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin and gums.
• As fiber, humans cannot digest them so that their average energy
content compared to most carbohydrates is lower.
• However, some types of fiber can be metabolized by gut bacteria
producing compounds that are good for our body.
Functions of Carbohydrates
1. Energy supply. When broken down into glucose, they
provide energy directly to cells in the body such as the
muscles, brain, heart, and kidneys, enabling the body to
perform its functions. Without energy, none of the other life
processes are performed. The indigestible portions of
carbohydrates referred to as dietary fiber, increase the
physical bulk of the bowel for easy movement through the
colon out of the body.
Functions of Carbohydrates
2. Energy storage. Excess glucose is stored. In the human
body in the form of glycogen in the muscles, and in the liver,
while in plants, it is stored as starch. In times when the body
uses up the glucose supply after excessive physical activity
or prolonged hunger, this stored energy in the form of fat is
converted back to glucose. Therefore, glucose supply will
prevent the degradation of skeletal muscle and other
tissues such as the heart, liver, and kidneys.
Functions of Carbohydrates
3. Building macromolecules.
Some glucose is converted to ribose and
deoxyribose, which are forms of sugar used as the
building blocks of RNA, DNA, and ATP.
2. Proteins
• Protein is said to be the growth nutrient
• Any protein is made up of about 300 or more amino
acids sequenced in a unique manner providing a specific
shape that will determine its specific function.

Amino Acid – building block of protein

2. Proteins
• Amino acids are common in all living things, but
because of the varying needs of each organism, the
sequencing or arrangement of amino acids varies
from organism to organism to come up with the
protein required to meet a specific need at any given
time.
2. Proteins

• For instance, proteins produced during periods of

rapid growth or increased demand, such as
childhood, and adolescence may not be the
hormones produced during pregnancy and
breastfeeding.
Amino Acids
• Amino acids are classified as either essential or non-
essential. Essential amino acids cannot be produced by
the body and therefore must come from the diet. Nine of
the 20 amino acids are essential. They are phenylalanine,
lysine, valine, tryptophan, histidine, methionine, leucine,
isoleucine and threonine. On the other hand, non-
essential amino acids can be produced by the body and,
therefore, do not need to come from the diet.
Functions of Proteins
• Antibodies - proteins found in the blood made by white blood
cells called B cells.
-help recognize and destroy foreign pathogens in the
immune system, thus, fight infections

• Enzymes - speed up chemical reactions such as blood clotting

to DNA synthesis to digestion

• Hormones - used by the cell in receiving and sending chemical

signals, thereby coordinating bodily functions
Functions of Proteins
Hormones - used by the cell in receiving and sending
chemical signals, thereby coordinating bodily
functions

• For example, insulin controls our blood sugar

concentration by regulating the uptake of glucose into
cells. Hormones include insulin, estrogen, testosterone,
adrenaline, cortisol etc.
Functions of Proteins
• Transport - move molecules across cell membranes
For example, hemoglobin in the blood helps
transport oxygen to the different parts of the body.

• Contractile function - involved in muscle contraction enabling

movement such as walking, writing, and chewing
Examples are actin and myosin.
Functions of Proteins
Support Structure - provide support to organisms
• For instance, the proteins in our bones provide
framework to the human body. Protein fingernails and
hair such as collagen and elastin provide support to
humans.

DNA synthesis and repair - associated with regulating

chromosome structure during cell division and in
regulating gene expression
3. Lipids
• Lipids, usually called fats, are a family of organic compounds
mostly insoluble in water.
• They are also said to yield high energy.

Fatty Acid– building block of Lipids (fats)

 Fatty Acid
• produced when digestion breaks down fats
• basic structure of fat, which can then be absorbed into the blood
• may be saturated or unsaturated
• Saturated fats are fatty acids where the four arms of carbon are
all bonded to hydrogen
• Unsaturated fat, is composed of fatty acids with two carbon atoms
connected by a double bond, which is considered a weak bond
compared to a purely C-H bond
• Saturated fats are fatty
➢acids where the four arms of carbon are all bonded to
hydrogen.
➢The C-H bond is stronger bond compared to C-C bond. This is
the reason why saturated fat in butter, cheese and red meat
are solid at room temperature.
➢These are also said to be less healthy than unsaturated fats
because they increase the levels of low-density lipoprotein,
also known as ‘bad’ cholesterol, that may increase the risk of
cardiovascular disease.
• Unsaturated fat
• is composed of fatty acids with two carbon atoms connected by a
double bond, which is considered a weak bond compared to a
purely C-H bond
• This is why unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oil (sunflower,
corn, canola) are liquid at room temperature.
• They are also said to be healthier. They include avocados and
avocado oil, olives and olive oil, peanut butter and peanut oil, fatty
fish, such as salmon and mackerel, nuts and seeds, such as
almonds, peanuts, cashews, and sesame seeds
 Three Main Types of Lipids.
1. Triacylglycerols (also known as triglycerides).
These make up more than 95% of lipids in the diet of fried
foods, butter, whole milk, cheese, and some meats.
2. Phospholipids. These are lipids whose fatty acid component
has been replaced by a phosphate group (PO₄). They are a key
component of all cell membranes
3. Sterols. These lipids appear as tetrameric (4-sided) rings
comprising about 50% of the membrane lipid content in cells
The most common sterol in the animal membrane is cholesterol
 Functions of Lipids
Structural components of cell membranes. Phospholipids are the
major component of cell membrane structure.

Energy storehouses. When one eats a lot of carbohydrates, the

excess glucose is stored as glycogen by the liver, and then this is
converted back to glucose by the liver as the need arises.

Important signaling molecules.

4. Nucleic acid
•This is a macromolecule made from basic units
called nucleotides. A nucleotide consists of a
sugar attached to a phosphate group and any of
the nitrogen-containing bases cytosine, guanine,
adenine, and thymine. The nucleic acids are
found in all living organisms, from tiny bacteria
to multicellular organisms like us.
 Two Varieties of Nucleic Acid
•1. Deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA). This is a double
helix molecule composed of a sugar deoxyribose, a
phosphate and a nitrogen-containing bases cytosine,
guanine, adenine, and thymine.
•2. Ribose nucleic acid (RNA). This single strand
molecule whose sugar is ribose.
Two Varieties of Nucleic Acid

Deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) Ribose nucleic acid (RNA)

 Functions of Nucleic Acids
• 1. Storage and expression of genetic information.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) encodes the information the cell needs.
The sequence of the molecule encoded can give a message, “make
this protein, and replicate me”.

• 2. Protein Synthesis. RNA, on the other hand, participates in the

actual making of protein, known as protein synthesis. It converts
stored information in DNA to make proteins. It is also used by
viruses as genetic material.
 LET’s DO IT!
Explore Enrichment Activity 1
Gauge