UNIT BIOLOGY

KOLEJ MATRIKULASI LABUAN

SB015 2022/2023

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT:
MOLECULES OF LIFE &
CELL STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS

NAME : AIN AMALIA BINTI SAPIN

MATRIC NUMBER : MS2215108328
TUTORIAL CLASS : H12
LECTURER’S NAME : AINI ALIRA BINTI MOHD ADNAN

CASE STUDY 1
 MANGO (Mangifera indica)

Exocarp Mesocarp
Name of molecule Cellulose Sucrose
Structure (Diagram)

-a polysaccharide made up -A disaccharide composed of

from monomers of β-glucose.
-long unbranched chains
-molecules are straight
-linked by β-1,4 glycosidic
bonds.
- present in plant cells in the
form of cellulose microfibrils
two monosaccharides (α-
glucose + fructose)
-linked by α-1,2 glycosidic
bond through condensation.
-Molecular formula:C12H22O11
- Non-reducing sugar.

Characteristics -Insoluble in water but soluble -Water soluble

in organic solvents -has sweet taste
-Has high tensile strength -can be crystalized.
-The bonds between its
molecules are very strong
which explains why cellulose is
very hard to break down.
-The most abundant
carbohydrate present in nature
-Exist as a crystalline solid
having a white powdery
appearance
Function -Building material for the -Provides quick and easy
plant’s cell wall energy
-helps maintain a plant cell’s - Sweetens the fruit
 shape and rigidity.
- Increase the strength of the
cell wall.
Importance to the -Important dietary source of
living organisms carbohydrates in herbivores
like goats and sheep
-To make paper, paperboards,
cardboards, cardstock and
other paper products.
-To make clothes
-Bio fuel making
-Used widely in the food
product making such as soft
drink and other beverages,
jams and jellies.
-The use of sucrose to make
food preservatives, food
stabilizer and food thickening
agent is vast
-In emulsifying agents and
detergents, sucrose functions
as an intermediate chemical.
- Great usage in the making
of pharmaceutical products
-Serves as an antioxidant
agent.

Some of the other molecules that can be found in the fruit is water, protein, DNA, RNA
and lipid (a small amount of fatty acids and polyunsaturated in its seed that is beneficial
for health).

CASE STUDY 2

Typical plant cell under light microscope

Organelles Cell Wall Large central vacuole Chloroplast
Structure -arranged in three -A membrane-bound cell -Enclosed by a double
major layers; organelle membrane
 the primary -Surrounded by a thin -Contains chlorophyll and
cell wall membrane other photosynthetic
 the middle -Filled with fluid and any pigments;
lamella molecules it takes in
 the secondary -Shaped like a large sac  Thylakoid:
cell wall membranous system
in the form of
-contains cellulose flattened,
microfibrils, interconnected sacs
hemicellulose, inside the chloroplast
pectin, lignin, and  Granum: stacked of
soluble protein. thylakoid
 Stroma: fluid region
-rigid and a contains of
semi-permeable chloroplast DNA,
protective layer ribosomes and
enzymes.

Function -provide support and -Maintain proper pH -Site of photosynthesis

protection against -Store water -Absorbs light energy and
plant viruses and -Maintain turgor pressure converts it into chemical
pathogens and also -Adjust size of the cell energy.
limits plasticity -Chlorophyll functions by
 -prevent loss of trapping the solar energy
water and is used for the
-keep the shape and synthesis of food in all
rigidity of the plant green plants
-to regulate growth -Produces NADPH and
molecular oxygen (O2) by
photolysis of water.
-Produces ATP –Adenosine
triphosphate by the process
of photosynthesis.
-Generate carbon and sugar
during the Calvin Cycle or
dark reaction of
photosynthesis.

REFERENCES

Webpages

Christine Sarikas. (2019 July 29th). What Is a Vacuole? Understanding the 4 Main
Functions. PrepScholar. https://blog.prepscholar.com/vacuole-function-definition

Melissa Groves. (2018 June 8th ). Sucrose vs Glucose vs Fructose : What’s the
Differences? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sucrose-glucose-
fructose

Regina Bailey. (2019 August 26th) The Structure and Function of a Cell Wall
Thought.Co. https://www.thoughtco.com/cell-wall-373613

Books

Romeo, Tony (2008). Bacterial biofilms. Berlin: Springer.