SCIENCE 10 – QUARTER 4

MODULE 4: BIOMOLECULES—PROTEINS AND NUCLEIC ACIDS

What I Need to Know

Biomolecules are made up of monomer units linked together by bonds. Proteins and nucleic
acids are biomolecules which contain the elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Proteins are
usually large in size that consists of one or more chains of amino acids. They are known as building
blocks of life. Nucleic acids are found in all cells and composed of nucleotides. They store & transmit
heredity/genetic information
In this module, you will learn another two biomolecules namely; proteins and nucleic acids. It
will help you recognize their structures and their functions in the body.
MOST ESSENTIAL LEARNING COMPETENCY
Recognize the major categories of biomolecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins
and nucleic acids.
This module divided into two lessons namely:
• Lesson 1: Proteins
• Lesson 2: Nucleic Acids
After using this module, you are expected to attain the following objectives:
1. Explain the functions of proteins in the body
2. Describe the structures of proteins
3. Cite examples of food rich in proteins
4. Explain the functions of nucleic acids in the body

5. Describe the structures of nucleic acids

What I Know Direction: Read the following questions carefully and write only the
letter of the correct answer on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Which of the following hormone protein regulates the blood sugar level?
A. Pepsin B. Insulin C. Myosin D. Hemoglobin
2. Which of the following is the building block of proteins?
A. Enzymes B. Amino acid C. Sugar D. Triglycerides
3. Proteins compose over 50% of the dry weight of an average living cell and are very complex
macromolecules. Why are proteins important components of food?
A. It is an important component of the cell.
B. It is essential for metabolic reactions in the body.
C. It serves as a source of energy and thermal insulation.
D. It is needed for body’s structure, repair and function.
4. There are 20 essential and non–essential amino acids of proteins. Which of the following is a group of
essential amino acids?
A. Valine, threonine, leucine, lysine C. Alanine, glutamine, glycine, cysteine
B. Leucine, lysine, alanine, glutamine D. Valine, threonine, glycine, cysteine

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5. Which is a CORRECT pair of an example of protein and its function?
A. Enzymes: speed up reactions in the body and eventually used up in the process.
B. Collagen: provides strength and flexibility to connective tissues.
C. Actin and myosin: supplies amino acids to baby mammals
D. Hemoglobin: helps regulate blood sugar levels
6. Which of the biomolecules contain other elements aside from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen?
A. Carbohydrates, lipids C. Nucleic acids, proteins
B. Proteins, lipids D. Nucleic acids, lipids
7. Which of the following statements concerning DNA is correct?
I. DNA contains instructions for all the proteins your body makes.
II. The shape of DNA is a double helix.
III. The central dogma of molecular biology states RNA!DNA !Protein.
A. 1 only B. 1 and 2 C. 2 and 3 D. 1, 2, and 3
8. The structure of DNA was identified by .
A. Rosalind Franklin. C. Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase.
B. Erwin Chargaff. D. James Watson and Francis Crick.
9. If one strand of DNA is CAGGTTACG, the opposite strand is
A. GTCCAATGC. B. GTCCTTAGC C. CAGGTTACG. D. GTCCTTACG.
10. The subunits of DNA are nucleotides consisting of
A. a sugar, a carbon group, and a nitrogen-containing base.
B. a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen-containing base.
C. a sugar, a phosphate group, and an oxygen-containing base.
D. a lipid, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen-containing base.
11. Differences between DNA and RNA include which of the following?
I. RNA consists of one nucleotide chain.
II. RNA contains the nitrogen base uracil instead of thymine.
III. RNA contains the sugar ribose instead of deoxyribose.
A. 1, 2, and 3 B. 1 and 2 C. 2 and 3 D. 2 only
12. Which of the following factors is not responsible for the denaturation of proteins?
A. Heat B. Charge C. pH change D. Organic solvents
13. Which of the following types of bonds connect the amino acids in protein?
A. Peptide bonds B. Glycosidic bond C. Ester bonds D. Phosphodiester bond
14. Which indicator is used to test for the presence of proteins?
A. Sudan IV B. Benedict's Reagent C. Biuret Reagent D. Iodine
15. Which of the following protein is used to identify disease causing organisms like bacteria when
they enter the body?
A. Hemoglobin B. Insulin C. Keratin D. Antibodies

LESSON 1 PROTEINS

Proteins are the most abundant organic compounds in living cells. They are the fundamental
constituent and functional framework of the cell protoplasm. C, H, O with the addition of N atoms made
up the proteins. Other atoms may also be present like Sulfur (S), Phosphorus (P), or Iron (Fe). The major
building blocks of proteins are long chain amino acids which are covalently bonded together. Proteins of
animal origin have the highest biological value because they contain a greater amount of the essential
amino acids. Examples of foods that are rich in protein are whole eggs, milk, soybeans, meats, vegetables
and grains

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 What’s In

In module 3, you have learned the first two biomolecules namely: carbohydrates and lipids. Both
substances are composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen however the ratio for H to O is greater in lipids
compared to 2H to 1O in carbohydrates. Let’ recall the important concepts in carbohydrates and lipids by
answering the following activity.
Task 1.1 True or False
Direction: Write TRUE if the statement is correct and REWRITE THE STATEMENT it is false to
make it correct.
1. The simplest form of lipids is amino acid.
2. The two monomers of sucrose are glucose and galactose.
3. Carbohydrates are the chief source of energy.
4. All starchy foods are rich in carbohydrates
5. The presence of glucose in food can be detected using iodine test.

What’s New

Task 1.2. Test for the Presence of Protein

The Grade 10 students were asked by their science teacher to do an experiment using Biuret
Test to detect the presence of protein in some food samples. The materials and procedures were already
prepared by their teacher.
Direction: Analyze the activity below and answer the questions that follow.
Materials: Biuret’s Solution, test tube, test tube rack, test tube holder, test tube brush, beaker (500 mL,
250 mL, 50 mL), dropper, egg white, egg yolk, cooked fish, cooked meat, milk, taho
Procedure
NOTE: Biuret is clear or light blue in the absence of protein and pink or blue – violet in the presence of
protein.
1. Place 10 drops of the sample in separate test tube.
2. Add 10 drops of Biuret’s solution to each test tube.
3. Place the test tubes in a water bath for 2 minutes
4. Transfer the hot test tubes in test tube rack and let it cool. Observe the changes in its color, and for
the presence of protein use the symbol below:
Symbol Color Change Interpretation
0 Light blue No protein present
+ Light pink Traces of protein is found
++ Pink High Amount of Protein
+++ Blue violet Higher Amount of Protein
++++ Dark blue violet Very High Amount of Protein
Note: The students recorded their observations in Table 4. Using the symbols interpret the data in
column 2. Fill-in column 3.

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 Table 1. Results of the Biuret Test
Presence and Amount of
Food Sample Observations Protein Questions:
(0, +, ++, +++, ++++) 1. Which of the following
Water Light blue 1. food samples have highest
Egg white Pink 2. amount of proteins?
2. Which of the following
Egg yolk Dark Blue violet 3.
food samples have the
Taho Dark Blue violet 4. lowest amount of proteins?
Cooked Fish Blue violet 5.
Cooked Meat Blue violet 6.
Milk Blue violet 7.

What is it

What are Proteins?

Proteins are known as building blocks of life. They are biomolecules, usually large in size, that
consists of one or more chains of amino acids.
Protein is derived from a Greek word Proteios which means pre-eminent or first. This name was
first suggested in 1838 by a Swedish chemist Berzelius. He suggested it to a Dutch chemist Mulder and
he referred it to the complex organic substances found in the cells of living beings.
Proteins perform variety of functions like catalyzing metabolic reactions, replication of DNA,
response to stimuli, and transporting molecules. They differ from each other mainly in the sequences of
amino acids.
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF PROTEINS
1. Proteins are colorless and tasteless.
2. They are homogeneous and crystalline.
3. Proteins vary in shape, they may be simple crystalloid structure to long fibrilar structures.
4. Protein structures are of two distinct patterns - Globular proteins and fibrilar proteins.
5. Globular proteins are spherical in shape and occur in plants. Fibrilar proteins are thread-like, they
occur generally in animals.
6. In general proteins have large molecular weights ranging between 5 X 103 and 1 X 106.
7. Due to the huge size, proteins exhibit many colloidal properties.
8. The diffusion rates of proteins is extremely slow.
9. Proteins exhibit Tyndall effect.
10. Proteins tend to change their properties like denaturation.
11. Proteins like the amino acids exhibit amphoteric property i.e., they can act as acids and alkalies.
12. As the proteins are amphoteric in nature, they can form salts with both cations and anions based on
the net charge. The solubility of proteins depends upon the pH. Lowest solubility
13. is seen at isoelectric point, the solubility increases with increase in acidity or alkalinity.

FUNCTION OF PROTEINS
1. Proteins are seen in muscles, hair, skin and other tissues, they constitute the bulk of body's non-
skeletal structure. Example: The protein keratin is present in nails and hair.
2. Some proteins are hormones and regulate many body functions. Example: Insulin hormone is a
protein and it regulated the blood sugar level.

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3. Some proteins act enzymes, they catalyze or help in biochemical reactions. Example: Pepsin and
Tripsin.
4. Some proteins act as antibodies, they protect the body from the effect of invading species or
substances.
5. Proteins transport different substances in blood of different tissues. Example: Hemoglobin is a
oxygen transport protein.
6. Contractile proteins help in contraction of muscle and cells of our body. Example: Myosin is
contractile protein.
7. Fibrinogen a glycoprotein helps in healing of wounds. It prevents blood loss and inhibits
passage of germs.
What are amino acids?
Amino Acids are the building blocks of proteins. They containsat least one amino group (-NH2)
and at least one carboxyl group (-COOH). They are necessary ingredients for the growth of human beings.
They contain both basic amino groups and acidic carboxyl groups. The ingredients present in protein are
of amino acids. Both peptides and proteins are the long chains of amino acids. The
general form H2NCHRCOOH or
General properties of Amino Acids
▪ Amino acids are soluble in water and insoluble in hydrocarbon solutions.
▪ They are crystalline solid substances.
▪ They have very high melting point compared to their boiling point.

A. Essential Amino Acids:

Phenylalanine, Valine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Isoleucine, Methionine, Leucine, Lysine and Histidine
B. Non Essential Amino Acids:
Alanine, Cysteine, Cystine, Glutamine, Glycine, Glutamate, Arginine, Tyrosine, Serine, Asparagines,
Aspartic acid, Proline
What is polypeptide?
The monomer, amino acid, makes up the polypeptides in proteins. A polypeptide is a chain of
amino acids. The polypeptide chains fold into their final three-dimensional structure to constitute a
functional protein.

The protein polymer is built by condensation reactions between amino acids.

This reaction shown above is classified as a condensation reaction because the two amino acid
molecules join together and water is formed. The bond formed is called a peptide bond, and the product
is a dipeptide because it is made up of two amino acid units. Longer chains are called polypeptides and
chains of 50 or more amino acids are called proteins.

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Protein Structure
You can imagine that
with 20 amino acids, which
can be assembled in any
order, there is essentially an
infinite variety possible in the
construction of proteins. This
flexibility allows an organism
to tailor proteins for the many
types of functions that must be
carried out.Proteins involve
four structural features. These
are: primary structure,
secondary structure, tertiary
structure and quarternary
structure. The diagram below
shows of the four structures of
proteins

Biuret Test for the Presence

of Proteins in Food
A Biuret test is a
chemical test used to determine the presence of a peptide bond in a substance. It is based on the biuret
reaction in which a peptide structure
containing at least two peptide links
produces a violet color when treated with
alkaline copper sulfate. In presence of an
alkaline solution, blue-colored copper II
ion can form a complex with the peptide
bonds since the peptide has unshared
electron pairs in nitrogen and oxygen of
water.

The intensity of the color is

directly proportional to the number of the
peptide bonds present in the protein
molecule that is reacting and also the
number of the protein molecules present The results of biuret test in some food samples
in the reaction system. If there is no color
change, proteins are absent. If the solution turns from blue to deep purple, proteins are present

Nutritional Value of Protein

The nutritional value of a protein is measured by the quantity of essential amino acids it
contains. Different foods contain different amounts of essential amino acids. Generally:

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• Animal products (such as chicken, beef or fish and dairy products) have all of the essential amino
acids and are known as 'complete' protein (or ideal or high-quality protein).
• Soy products, quinoa and the seed of a leafy green called amaranth (consumed in Asia and the
Mediterranean) also have all of the essential amino acids.
• lean meats – beef, lamb, veal, pork, kangaroo
• poultry – chicken, turkey, duck, emu, goose, bush birds
• fish and seafood – fish, prawns, crab, lobster, mussels, oysters, scallops, clams
• eggs
• dairy products – milk, yoghurt (especially Greek yoghurt), cheese (especially cottage cheese)
• Plant proteins (beans, lentils, nuts and whole grains) usually lack at least one of the essential amino
acids and are considered 'incomplete' proteins.
• nuts (including nut pastes) and seeds – almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, macadamias, hazelnuts,
cashews, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
• legumes and beans – all beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas, tofu.

What’s More

Task 1.3. The Amino Acids

Direction: There are ten amino acids hidden in the word puzzle below. Look for them in all
directions including diagonally and backwards. Classify them as essential or nonessential amino
acids by listing down in the appropriate column.

V E E N I R E S G M Essential Non-essential
A N F O O N I L E E amino acids amino acids
L I S T I F U E N T
I C A N F T N U I H
N Y A F A I S C S I
E L S M N P S I O O
A G I A G G B N R N
O N L R I T E E Y I
E A P P E U Q U T N
T H R E O N I N E E
Task 1.4 Fix Me!
Direction: Arrange the scrambled letters of each word to reveal the correct answer.
1. are the building blocks of protein. NAMIO CAISD
2. an enzyme (protein) in saliva that breaks down starch. MAYASLE
3. a protein from milk NICINA
4. are short chains of amino acids. DEPEPTIS
5. number of mostly common forms of proteins TYTNWE
6. a protein found in tendon ACOENLLG
7. changed of proteins from its natural state resulting in the loss of its biological activity
TENAONURDATI

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 8. Occur primarily in albumins RASACTIP CAID
9. high content found in keratins YNSTIEC
10. isolated from caseine and makes up 7–9% of meat, egg and milk proteins. SLEYIN

LESSON 2 NUCLEIC ACIDS

Life is possible only because each cell, when it divides, can transmit the vital information about
how it works to the next generation. It has been known for a long time that this process involves the
chromosomes in the nucleus of the cell. Only since 1953, however, have scientists understood the
molecular basis of this intriguing cellular “talent.” The substance that stores and transmits the genetic
information is a polymer called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), a huge molecule with a molecular weight
as high as several billion grams per mole. Together with other similar nucleic acids called the ribonucleic
acids (RNA), DNA is also responsible for the synthesis of the various proteins needed by the cell to carry
out its life functions. The RNA molecules, which are found in the cytoplasm outside the nucleus, are
much smaller than DNA polymers, with molecular weights of only 20,000 to 40,000 grams per mole

What’s New

Nucleic Acids are composed of nucleotides. The DNA and RNA are examples of nucleic acids.
Let’s familiarize with their structures by doing the activity below
Task 2.1. Label Me
A. Label the three parts of the nucleotide below.

a.
b.
c.

B. On the diagram at the right, label: The DNA Structure

1. Phosphate
2. Deoxyribose
3. Hydrogen Bonds
4. Each of the four bases: adenine, guanine,
cytosine , thymine

The RNA Structure

C. Identify the location of mRNA, rRNA,
and tRNA in the figure at the left.

i.
ii.
iii.

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 What is it

NUCLEIC ACIDS
Nucleic acids are high molar mass polymers that play an essential role in protein synthesis.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are the two types of nucleic acid. Their
basic units or monomers are called nucleotides.
DNA molecules are among the largest molecules known; they have molar masses of up to tens
of billions of grams. On the other hand, RNA molecules vary greatly in size, some having a molar mass
of about 25,000 g. Compared with proteins, which are made of up to 20 different amino acids, nucleic
acids are fairly simple in composition.
The Nucleotide
Based on chemical analyses and information obtained from X-ray diffraction measurements,
James Watson and Francis Crick formulated the double-helical structure for the DNA molecule in 1953.
Watson and Crick determined that the DNA molecule has two helical strands. Each strand is made up of
nucleotides.
Three Distinct Parts of Nucleotides :
1. A five-carbon sugar, deoxyribose in DNA
and ribose in RNA
2. A nitrogen-containing organic base
3. A phosphoric acid molecule (H3PO4)
The base and the sugar combine to form a unit that in turn
reacts with phosphoric acid to create the nucleotide, which is an ester The structure of nucleotide
The nucleotides become connected through condensation reactions
that eliminate water to give a polymer which can contain a billion units.
A DNA or RNA molecule contains only four types of building blocks: purines, pyrimidines,
furanose sugars, and phosphate groups. Each purine or pyrimidine is called a base.
The nucleotides of DNA are adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine while nucleotides of
RNA are adenine, guanine, cytosine and uracil.
Nitrogenous Bases
There are five different nitrogenous bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), thymine (T)
and uracil (U). It is the sequence of the nitrogenous bases in a DNA polymer that will determine the
genetic code for that organism. Three consecutive nitrogenous bases provide the coding for one amino
acid. So, for example, if the nitrogenous bases on three nucleotides are uracil, cytosine and uracil (in that
order), one serine amino acid will become part of the polypeptide chain. The polypeptide chain is built
up in this way until it is long enough (and with the right amino acid sequence) to be a protein.

Functions of Nucleic Acids

1. DNA contains the genetic material or hereditary information of living things.
2. DNA is the ultimate source of proteins and enzymes.
3. DNA and RNA controls the organization of enzymes hence, it determines the chemical activities and
reactions in the cell.
4. RNA is produced from DNA and works as the organizer of protein molecules.

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 Below is a summary of the differences between the two kinds of nucleic acids

Table 4 Comparison Between DNA and RNA

DNA
Deoxyribonucleic Acid
Description It contains the genetic
instruction used in the
development and functioning
of all living organisms.
Function Long-term storage and
transmission of genetic
information
Sugar and Bases Deoxyribose sugar
RNA
Ribonucleic Acid
It is responsible for the template
in the synthesis of proteins which
in turn control the operation &
function of the cell
Transfer the genetic information
for the creation of proteins from
the nucleus to the ribosomes
Ribose sugar

Phosphate backbone; Four Phosphate backbone; Four

Bases: adenine, guanine, Bases: adenine, guanine,
cytosine, and thymine cytosine, and uracil
Pairing of Bases A-T (Adenine-Thymine) A-U (Adenine-Uracil)
G-C (Guanine-Cytosine) G-C (Guanine-Cytosine)

The figure below shows the comparison between the structure of DNA and RNA

Table 5. Comparison Between Components of DNA and

RNA
Found only Found in Found
in DNA both DNA only in
and RNA RNA
Purine Adenine
Guanine
Pyridine Thymine Cytosine Uracil
Sugar Deoxyribose Ribose
Phosphates Phosphate
group

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 What’s More

Task 2.2. Know More about Nucleic Acid

Compare DNA and RNA based on some properties. Complete the table below. Choose
your answers inside the box.
DNA PROPERTIES RNA
strand double uracil double helix
transcription thymine
location
longer nucleus or cytoplasm
sugar backbone
single linear or folded
phosphate base
translation ribose
function
stores all genetic information
length of molecules shorter
structure transcribe
the genetic information nucleus or
process mitochondria
deoxyribose
Assessment
Direction: Read the following questions carefully and write only the letter of the correct answer on a
separate sheet of paper.
1. Which of the biomolecules contain other elements aside from carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen?
A. Carbohydrates, lipids C. Nucleic acids, proteins
B. Proteins, lipids D. Nucleic acids, lipids
2. Which of the following statements concerning DNA is correct?
I. DNA contains instructions for all the proteins your body makes.
II. The shape of DNA is a double helix.
III. The central dogma of molecular biology states RNA-DNA-Protein.
A. 1 only B. 1 and 2 C. 2 and 3 D. 1, 2, and 3
3. The structure of DNA was identified by
A. Rosalind Franklin C. Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase
B. Erwin Chargaff D. James Watson and Francis Crick
4. If one strand of DNA is CAGGTTACG, the opposite strand is
A. GTCCAATGC B. GTCCTTAGC C. CAGGTTACG D. GTCCTTACG
5. The subunits of DNA are nucleotides consisting of
A. a sugar, a carbon group, and a nitrogen-containing base.
B. a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen-containing base.
C. a sugar, a phosphate group, and an oxygen-containing base.
D. a lipid, a phosphate group, and a nitrogen-containing base.
6. Differences between DNA and RNA include which of the following?
I. RNA consists of one nucleotide chain.
II. RNA contains the nitrogen base uracil instead of thymine.
III. RNA contains the sugar ribose instead of deoxyribose.
A. 1, 2, and 3 B. 1 and 2 C. 2 and 3 D. 2 only

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7. Which of the following factors is not responsible for the denaturation of proteins?
A. Heat B. Charge C. pH change D. Organic solvents
8. Which of the following types of bonds connect the amino acids in protein?
A. Peptide bonds B. Glycosidic bond C. Ester bonds D. Phosphodiester bond
9. Which indicator is used to test for the presence of proteins?
A. Sudan IV B. Benedict's Reagent C. Biuret Reagent D. Iodine
10. Which of the following protein is used to identify disease causing organisms like bacteria when
they enter the body?
A. Hemoglobin B. Insulin C. Keratin D. Antibodies
11. Which of the following hormone protein regulates the blood sugar level?
A. Pepsin B. Insulin C. Myosin D. Hemoglobin
12. Which of the following is the building block of proteins?
A. Enzymes B. Amino acid C. Sugar D. Triglycerides
13. Proteins compose over 50% of the dry weight of an average living cell and are very complex
macromolecules. Why are proteins important components of food?
A. It is an important component of the cell.
B. It is essential for metabolic reactions in the body.
C. It serves as a source of energy and thermal insulation.
D. It is needed for body’s structure, repair and function.
14. There are 20 essential and non–essential amino acids of proteins. Which of the following is a group
of essential amino acids?
A. Valine, threonine, leucine, lysine C. Alanine, glutamine, glycine, cysteine
B. Leucine, lysine, alanine, glutamine D. Valine, threonine, glycine, cysteine
15. Which is a CORRECT pair of an example of protein and its function?
A. Enzymes: speed up reactions in the body and eventually used up in the process.
B. Collagen: provides strength and flexibility to connective tissues.
C. Actin and myosin: supplies amino acids to baby mammals
D. emoglobin: helps regulate blood sugar levels

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