BIOMOLECULES

BIOMOLECULES
Biomolecules are an organic molecule that
includes carbohydrates, protein, lipids, and
nucleic acids. These include chemicals and
elements that are composed of mainly carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and
phosphorus. These elements come together to
form biomolecules, the molecules found in all of
the living organisms on earth. They are important
for the survival of living cells.
What are the 4 biomolecules?
• Carbohydrates
• Lipids
• Proteins
• Nucleic Acids

WE TYPICALLY GET BIOMOLECULES FROM FOOD…

THIS IS WHY WE MUST EAT IN THE FIRST PLACE!
THE BIOMOLECULES SERVE TO KEEP ORGANISMS ALIVE.
 What
are the
four
Biomol
ecules?
 #1:
CARBOHYDRATES
ARE SUGARS!
We get 4 calories per gram
of carb that we eat!
 What are CARBOHYDRATES?
⚫ Most common organic molecule
⚫ Function: Primary energy source our body needs.
⚫ Elements present: C, H, O (1:2:1 ratio)
⚫ Monomer (building block): IMPORTANT!

Monosaccharides (Glucose is most common)

⚫ Polymer: Polysaccharides (starch, Glycogen,
Cellulose, Chitin)
⚫ Examples: Chocolate, Bread, Pasta, Fruits,
Vegetables. (ALL FROM PLANTS!!!)
Sugars that make up Carbs
⚫ Single sugar: monosaccharide
⚫ Ex: glucose , fructose (in fruits)
⚫ 2 monosaccharides: disaccharide
⚫ Ex: maltose, sucrose
⚫ 3+ monosaccharides: polysaccharide
⚫ Ex: Starch, Glycogen, Cellulose, and Chitin

I am a
polysaccharide!
 Sugars that make up Carbs
⚫ Single sugar: monosaccharide
⚫ Monosaccharide - A single molecular
unit which is absorbed directly into
the blood stream. The most
common monosaccharides are
glucose (also known as dextrose),
fructose, galactose and mannose.
 MONOSACCHARIDE
⚫ The most common monosaccharides are glucose, fructose, galactose
and mannose.
❖ GLUCOSE - commonly known as corn sugar or blood sugar, (also
known as dextrose). Dried fruits such as dates, apricots, raisins,
currants, cranberries, prunes and figs.
❖ FRUCTOSE - also known as fruit sugar because it primarily occurs
naturally in many fruits. It also occurs naturally in other plant foods
such as honey, sugar beets, sugar cane and vegetables.
❖ GALACTOSE - is known as the brain sugar. Galactose is found in
dairy products, avocados, sugar beets, other gums and mucilage.
❖ MANNOSE – is a simple hexose sugar that occurs naturally in some
plants, including cranberries. Mannose occurs in microbes, plants
and animals. Vegetables, including green beans, cabbage, and
broccoli, are also a common source.
 Sugars that make up Carbs
⚫ 2 monosaccharides: disaccharide
⚫ Disaccharide - Sugar containing two
monosaccharides linked together which are
broken down in the body into two single sugars.
The most common disaccharides are:
❖ Sucrose (or table sugar) = glucose + fructose
❖ Lactose = glucose +galactose
❖ Maltose = glucose + glucose
❖ Trehalose = glucose + glucose, but the two units of
glucose are linked differently than maltose.
DISACCHARIDE
The most common disaccharides are:
❖ SUCROSE - (table sugar) added to processed foods such as hotdogs,
sweetened fruit juices, fruit drinks, sodas, canned fruits, ketchup, maple
syrup, molasses and spaghetti sauces that is produces naturally in all
plants, including fruits, vegetables and even nuts.
❖ LACTOSE – found mainly in milk and dairy products such as cow's milk,
goat's milk, yogurt, cheese, kefir and ice cream.
❖ MALTOSE – found naturally in a range of different foods (like cooked
sweet potato, pears, pancakes, bread, fried onion rings, bagels, pizza,
hamburgers, cereals) and also in a variety of manufactured food stuffs
like beer and high-maltose corn syrup. Maltose is found in molasses
that is used in fermentation.
❖ TREHALOSE – a non-reducing sugar commonly found in bacteria,
fungi, mushroom, yeast, honey, insects, beans, seaweeds, shellfish and
plants. Trehaose is also known as mycose or tremalose.
Sugars that make up Carbs
⚫ 3+ monosaccharides: polysaccharide

⚫ Polysaccharide - a carbohydrate
formed by long chains of repeating
units linked together by glyosidic
bonds. Starch, glycogen, cellulose and
chitin are examples of polysaccharides.
I am a
polysaccharide!
 Types of polysaccharides
⚫ Starch:
⚫ Used for energy storage in plants
⚫ Potatoes, pasta and rice are starches
⚫ They provide a quick form of energy for the
body
I am
formed in
the Liver!
Glycogen:
• Used for energy storage in animals
More Polysaccharides
Cellulose:
• Providesstructural
support in plants (found
in the cell wall)
GIVES US
FIBER!!!
Chitin:
• Found in exoskeletons of
arthropods (insects,
spiders)
• Found in cell wall of some
fungi
Structure of Carbohydrates
• Remember: Elements are C, H, and O
• Primarily in a Ring shape (but not always)
#2: LIPIDS
ARE FATS
We get 9 calories per
gram
Of fat that we
consume.
 #2: LIPIDS
ARE FATS
Lipids serve as insulator, myelin sheath (wraps
around the fibers that are the long threadlike part
of a nerve cell). Lipids help with moving and
storing energy, absorbing vitamins and making or
acts as hormones chemical messengers for many
different processes.
Neurons are responsible for carrying information throughout the human body.
Neurons are nerve cells that send messages all over your body to allow you to do
everything from breathing to talking, eating, walking, and thinking.
 LIPIDS
⚫ Function: Store energy, Insulates
your body, and make up the cell
membrane!
⚫ Elements: C-H-O
⚫ Monomer (Building blocks): glycerol
& 3 fatty acids
⚫ Polymer: Phospholipids, triglycerides
⚫ Example: Steroids, cholesterol, fats,
Oils, Nuts, Waxes, and make up part
of the cell membrane!
When taken for a long time, steroids also can
cause:

• Stunted growth in teens (by making bones

mature too fast and stop growing at an early
age)
• Liver tumors
• Abnormal enlargement of the heart muscles
• Violent, aggressive behavior and mood swings
• Blood lipid problems that contribute to heart
disease
• Acne (or a worsening of acne)
• Increased breast growth in males, especially
teens
• Irreversible stretch marks
WAXES
• Waxes are esters made of long-chain
alcohol and a fatty acid. They provide
rigidity in the cell membrane and protection,
especially to plants in which wax covers the
leaves of plants. In humans, cerumen, also
known as earwax, helps protect the skin of
the ear canal.
 Lipids
Lipids are Hydrophobic (water fearing) and do
not dissolve in water!
Import
• Lipids can be: ant!
•Saturated: The bonds between all the carbons are
single bonds.
•Solid at room temperature
•Mainly animal fats (bacon grease, lard)

•Unsaturated: There is at least one double or triple

bond between carbons present.
•Liquid at room temperature
•Mainly plant based fats (olive oil, peanut oil) as well as
oily fish (Tuna, Sardines)
Lipid Structure
Remember:
Elements
present are
C, H, O Satu
rate
Long strands d
of Carbon Fats
and
Hydrogen Uns
atur
CALLED ated
HYDROCARBONS! Fats
#3: PROTEINS
BUILD US

We get 4 calories per

gram
Of protein that we
consume.
 #3: PROTEINS
BUILD US
Proteins are made up of chemical
'building blocks' called amino acids.
Your body uses amino acids to build
and repair muscles and bones and to
make hormones and enzymes.
Proteins
• Function of proteins
• Transport molecules in and out of the cell
• Control the speed of chemical reactions
• Used for growth and repair

Proteins make up the structure of living things…

Hair, nails, skin, bones, muscle, etc are all built by
protein!
It drives metabolic reactions, maintains pH and fluid balance, and
keeps the immune system strong. It also transports and stores
nutrients and can act as an energy source.
 Proteins NITROGEN IS PRESENT, NOW!
⚫ Elements: C-H-O-N
⚫ Monomer (Building Block):
amino acids (20 different
ones!)
⚫ Polymer: proteins (tons)
⚫ Examples of proteins:
hemoglobin in red blood
cells, albumin in eggs,
enzymes that control
reactions in the body, and
antibodies
⚫ Found in: fish, eggs, meat
Protein Structure
Remember: Elements are C, H, O, and N
“R” groups represent one of the 20 Amino
Acids! (so, each amino acid has something
different in that spot)
 Why are amino acids important?
• When groups of amino acids are joined
together a protein is formed.
• There are 20 kinds of amino acids.
• They consist of a carboxyl group (COOH) and
an amino group NH2.
• Peptide bonds form between amino acids
(polypeptide = many peptide bonds = protein!)
 In the human body, there are 20 amino acids that
function as building blocks of proteins.

• The essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine,

leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine,
threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
• The nonessential amino acids are alanine,
asparagine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and serine.
• Conditional amino acids include arginine, cysteine,
glutamine, glycine, proline, and tyrosine.
#4: NUCLEIC
ACIDS
These
biomolecules are
not
necessarily from
food.
NUCLEIC ACIDS
Function:
• Provide our genetic information
• Holds the instructions to make proteins.
Elements: C-H-O-N-P
Monomer : nucleotides
• A nucleotide is made up of:
• Sugar
• Phosphate
• Nitrogen Base: A, T, G, C, or U
Polymer: DNA, RNA and ATP
Energy
Genetic
carrier
code! Recipe for
proteins
Structure of Nucleic Acid