BIOLOGY SYNTHESIS 101

All the life around us and all the living things we saw and we knew is studied by the branch of science called
BIOLOGY that is one of our subjects today in Grade 12. The most interesting topics for me that we’ve already discussed is
about the Photosynthesis, Biological Molecules or also known as Biomolecules and lastly the Metabolism.

Photosynthesis. All organisms depend ultimately upon green plants as a source of organic nutrients. This process
occurs whenever sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide is being received by the plants and in return the plants produced glucose
and oxygen. Photosynthesis involved two phases: the light, or photo, phase and the dark, or synthetic, phase. This is an
important process to all plants, animals and us, humans because this process involves us all in order to survive and live a life.

Biomolecules. Molecules that occur naturally in living organisms. Biomolecules are very large molecules of many
atoms, that are covalently bound together. They have certain functions and these molecules all have a unique structure
which is why they function in these ways. These molecules are known collectively as macromolecules; these molecules
are grouped into four main categories ; Lipids, Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Nucleic Acid – which each have their own
structure. These structures are the key to the macromolecules functions as each of them do a specific task in the body.

 Lipids – these molecules hold an incredible amount of energy and are therefore energy storage molecules.
They are soluble in non-polar solvents, like ether, chloroform, methanol. Lipids have high energy content
and are metabolized to release calories and components of some enzyme systems.
 Carbohydrates – have several roles in living organisms, including energy transportation, as well as being
structural components of plants and arthropods. often known as sugars, they are the 'staff of life' for most
organisms. The most abundant class of biomolecules in nature, based on mass. It is an Important energy
source required for various metabolic activities. Carbohydrates are intermediates in biosynthesis of fats
and proteins.
 Proteins – makes up the majority of biomolecules present in a cell. They are seen in muscles, hair,
skin and other tissues, they constitute the bulk of body's non-skeletal structure. It transports different
substances in blood of different tissues. These biomolecules are responsible for many enzymatic functions
in the cell and play an important structural role and are composed of subunits
called amino acids.  Proteins also transmit signals during cell-to-cell communication, transport molecules
into and out of cells, and protect living organisms by identifying and flagging invaders.
 Nucleic Acid – nucleic acids store and transfer cellular information and transfer energy in all living
organisms. These molecules are responsible for all of our genetic information (to store and transfer).
Nucleic acids are formed from subunits called nucleotides; five types of nucleotides in the cell; Adenine,
Thymine, Guanine, Cytosine and Uracil. Nucleic acids have two types the Deoxyribonucleic acid, better
known as DNA, stores hereditary information in small segments called genes inside long polymer strands
and the Ribonucleic acid, better known as RNA, convert genetic information from genes into amino acid
sequences of protein.

Metabolism. It is the sum of the chemical reactions that take place within each cell of a living organism. The
physical and chemical processes that occur inside the cells of the body to maintain life by generating, storing, and
expending energy. Metabolism has two phase, the constructive phase called as Anabolism, it is the process of
building up molecules, and catabolism is the process of breaking down molecules. Anabolic reactions require the
use of energy to build up compounds that the body needs. On the other hand, the destructive phase called the
Catabolism, it is a catabolic reactions break down of food to provide energy. The two phase is essential in our
body to do work.