BIOMOLECULES

Lecture Outline

• Formation, Structure and Functions of

• Carbohydrate

• Lipid

• Protein

• Nucleic acid
 Which are the
four major
biomolecules in
our body?
 Categories of Macromolecules

• Four classes of macromolecules

that form the basis of living
matters
1. Carbohydrates
2. Lipids
3. Proteins
4. Nucleic acids
 Carbohydrate

• Contain C, H, O
• Functions
 Structural building blocks
 Source of energy
• Examples
 Sugars and starches
 Glucose  Aldehyde-double bonded
oxygen is on the terminal carbon
 Fructose  Ketone-double bonded
oxygen is within the carbon skeleton
 Carbohydrate

• Types
1. Monosaccharides – simplest sugars
 Building block for carbohydrates
 Major nutrient source for cells
2. Disaccharides  Two simple sugars bonded together
by a glycosidic/covalent bond  A double sugar
 Forms a larger molecule
3. Polysaccharides  Polymers of few hundreds or
thousands of monosaccharides bonded together
 Eg. Starch and glycogen (glucose polymers)  Energy storage
 Eg. Cellulose and chitin  Structural support
Carbohydrate Structure
 Lipid

• Contain C, H, O
• Functions
 Food storage
 Structural component
 Source of energy
• Water insoluble organic compounds 
Dissolve in nonpolar solvents
• Example  Fats, phospholipids, oils, steroids
 Fats
• A macromolecule made from glycerol and carboxylic
acid (fatty acid)
+
Glycerol Carboxylic acid
• Ester bond formed between the –OH group on glycerol
and carboxyl group on fatty acid
• Eg: Triglyceride/triacylglycerol
• Functions:
• Compact reservoir for energy
Triglyceride (a fat molecule)
storage (C-H bond is energy rich)
• Insulation
• Cushioning
 Saturated vs Unsaturated Fats

Saturated Fat Unsaturated Fat

No double bonds in the fatty Has double bonds (one or
acid tail more)
Carbons in skeleton are bonded Carbon double bond does not
with maximum number of allow close packing at room
hydrogen atoms temperature
Solid at room temperature Liquid at room temperature
Example: Butter, lard, grease Example: Olive, corn or peanut
oil

http://www.nature.com/horizon/livingfrontier/background/images/fat_f2.jpg
 Phopholipid

• Contain glycerol, 2 fatty acids and a phosphate group attached

to a small chemical group
• Can be diverse depending on the nature of fatty acids and
phosphate attachments
• Contain both hydrophobic and hydrophilic group which affects
its interactions with water  Major component of cell
membrane
Phopholipid Bilayer
 Steroids

• Cholesterol is a common steroid  Precursor for other

steroids
• Eg. Sex hormones (Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone) and
bile salts
 Protein

• Contain C, H, O, N
• Structure  Chains of amino
acids
 Vary extensively
 Sequence of amino acids
determines protein’s shape
 Shape determines how functional a
protein is http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/rel
eases/2003/02/18_table.shtml

• Comprised of 20 types of amino

acids
 Protein

• Functions
 Structural component
 Energy source
 Transport (Eg. Hemoglobin)
 Catalysis of biochemical reactions (Eg.
Enzymes)
 Signaling (Eg. Neurotransmitters) http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/rel
eases/2003/02/18_table.shtml

 Signal transduction (Eg. Receptors)

 Movement (Eg. Contractile proteins such
as actin and myosin)
 Defense (Eg. Antibodies)
 Amino Acid Structure

• 4 components of an
amino acid
1. Hydrogen atom
2. Carboxyl atom
3. Amino group
4. Variable R group
(specific to each
amino acid)
 Types of Amino Acid

Amino
acids can
be grouped
based on
properties
of their side
chains (R
group)
Protein Molecules
 Nucleic Acids

• Nucleotide  Building block of nucleic acids through

phosphodiester bonds
• Contain C, H, O, N, P
• Consist of 3 components
 Phosphate group – P
 5-Carbon sugar
 Nitrogenous base
http://www.abpischools.org.uk/res/coResourceI
• Functions mport/modules/
genome/en-images/nucleotide.gif

1. Genetic systems (DNA and RNA)

2. Energy carriers (ATP)
 Genetic Systems – Nucleic Acids

• Genes  Organism’s heritable units

• DNA
 Primarily located in nucleus  Stores information that
controls all cell activities
 Replicated and passed to next generation
 Double stranded
 Held together by bonds between nitrogen bases  Forms base
pairs

• RNA
 Tells the cell how to construct proteins (messenger RNA)
Nucleotides
Genetic Systems – Nucleic Acids
 Energy Carriers – ATP

• Nucleotides are able to link up with 1 or 2

additional phosphate groups
 Form high energy bonds
 Summary of Macromolecules

for for for for

Structural building blocks Food storage Genetic systems Structural component
Source of energy Structural component Energy carriers Energy source
Source of energy Transport
Catalysis of biochemical
reactions
Signaling
Signal transduction
Movement
Defense