GENERAL BIOLOGY 1
- Maltose, Sucrose, Lactose
Water
- Water can be in solid and gas form, not just liquid.
- Water has a neutral pH.
- Water is a good conductor of heat and energy.
- Water has high specific heat.
- Water is a universal solvent.
 Only 3% or 2.5% of the water on the surface is
freshwater.
o 69% resides in glaciers.
o 30% are in underground.
o Less than 1% is in lakes, rivers, and swamps.
 The remaining 97% of the water on the surface is
saltwater.
Carbon
- It makes up 18% of our body.
- It is the glue of life.
- One of the most common elements in the universe
- Named after coal.
- Loves to bond
Biomolecules (Macromolecules)
- also called biological molecules, these are any
numerous substances that are produced by cells and
living organisms.
Monomer
- a molecule that can be bonded to other identical
molecules to form a polymer.
Carbohydrates
- the most abundant compounds
- functions as energy sources and structural
components of cells.
- composed of C, H, and O (hydrate of Carbon)
Chemical Groupings of Carbohydrates
1. Monosaccharides (1 simple sugar)
2. Disaccharides (2 simple sugars)
3. Oligosaccharides (3-9/10 simple sugars)
4. Polysaccharides (10/11+ simple sugars)
Monosaccharides
- serve as the building blocks of carbohydrate polymers
- Glucose (Glu), Galactose (Gal), Fructose (Fru)
 Glucose – product of photosynthesis; major
source of energy in our bodies
 Fructose – found in fruits.
 Galactose – not normally found in nature alone,
normally found in the disaccharide lactose.
Disaccharides
- two molecules of simple sugar bonded together by
glycosidic bonds (a covalent bond that joins a
carbohydrate molecule to another).
 Maltose (Glu+Glu) – seldom found in foods,
present in alcoholic beverages and barley.
 Sucrose (Glu+Fru) – Table sugar; only made by
plants.
 Lactose (Gal+Glu) – primary milk sugar
Oligosaccharides
- 3-10 monosaccharide units linked by glycosidic bonds
- found naturally in plants
- Raffinose (Gal+Glu+Fru) – a trisaccharide found in
many plants.
Polysaccharides
- hundreds of linked glucose or other simple sugars.
- Starch, Cellulose, Chitin, Glycogen
 Starch – carbohydrate storage in plants
 Cellulose – the most abundant biological
molecule in nature
 Chitin – the major substance in exoskeleton of
arthropods and mollusks
 Glycogen – main carbohydrate storage in
animals
Lipids
- Glycerol and fatty acids are monomers of lipids.
- Functions as energy storage; components of
membranes; insulation barriers to avoid thermal,
physical, and electrical shock.
Types of Lipids
1. Fats and Oils
2. Phospholipids
3. Steroids
Fats and Oils
- serve as nutrient reserves in animals and plants
- esters of glycerol with 3 fatty acids (triglycerides or
triacyclglycerols)
- found in adipose tissue, butter, lard, and olive oil.
Fatty acids that are classified based on length of carbon
chain:
1. Short-chain fatty acids
2. Medium-chain fatty acids
3. Long-chain fatty acids
Fatty acids that are classified based on the importance
in diet:
1. Essential fatty acids
2. Non-essential fatty acids
Fatty acids classified into the number of double bonds
contained:
1. Unsaturated fatty acids
2. Monounsaturated fatty acids
3. Polyunsaturated fatty acids
Unsaturated Fat – at least one double bond between
carbon molecules.
  Monounsaturated fat – one double bond Types of Proteins
 Polyunsaturated Fat – more than one double
1. Structural Proteins – collagen; fibers
bonds
2. Transport Proteins – carry substances from cell
Saturated Fat – saturated with hydrogen and only to cell.
contains single bonds between carbon molecules, no 3. Regulatory Proteins – control cell processes
double bonds of carbon molecules. 4. Enzymes – catalyst; facilitate chemical reactions.
5. Antibodies – detecting foreign substance or
 Unsaturated fats come from plants, plant products,
antigen.
liquid at room temperature, and increases the
6. Hormones – chemical messengers
level of good cholesterol (High-Density
Lipoprotein). Saturated fats come from animals, NUCLEIC ACID
meats and dairy, solid at room temperature, and
- Large molecules that carry the code of life.
increases the level of bad cholesterol (Low-density
- CHONP
Lipoprotein).
- DNA and RNA
- Purines – Adenine and Guanine
- Pyrimidine – Thymine, Cytosine, and Uracil
Phospholipids
- consists of glycerol molecule, a phosphate group, and
2 fatty acids.
- The phosphate group is water soluble while the rest
of the molecule is insoluble in water.
- The cell membranes surrounding every cell are made
of a bilayer of phospholipids.

Steroids
- a biologically active organic compound with four rings
arranged in a specific molecular configuration.
- Sterols and Terpenes

 Sterols – such as cholesterol, androgens,

estrogen, adrenal corticosteroids have
important roles in cellular structure, cellular
communication, and metabolism.
 Terpenes – primary constituents of essential oils
of many types of plants and flowers. These are
fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)

PROTEINS

- Need in building muscle mass.

- Monomer – AMINO ACIDS
- C, H, O, N

Peptide Bond – to bond amino acids to form

polypeptide chains.

Structures of Protein

1. Primary Structure – chain of amino acids

(polypeptide chains)
2. Secondary Structure – local 3d folding of
polypeptide chains.
3. Tertiary Structure – primary structure and side
chains bound to three-dimensional folding of
the entire polypeptide chain.
4. Quaternary Structure – fitting together of two
or more polypeptide chains.
a. Keratin
b. Hemoglobin