Biomolecules

The Building Blocks of Life

Learning Goal: Describe carbohydrates, lipids, proteins,
and nucleic acids.
Warm-up: Please identify the main types of biomolecules
in the foods pictured below

Pancake butter

syrup bacon orange juice

BIOMOLECULES
 Biological molecules, or biomolecules,
are built by joining atoms through
covalent bonds.
 These smaller units are called
monomers.
 MACROMOLECULES (large molecules)
 made by polymerization -large
compounds built by joining smaller ones
together.
 4 key macromolecules, critical for life.
 carbohydrates, lipids,nucleic acids
and proteins.
CHONPS: The Six Most
Abundant Elements of Life
 Most biological molecules are made from
covalent combinations of six important
elements, whose chemical symbols are
CHNOPS.

Although more than 25 types of elements
can be found in biomolecules, six elements
are most common. These are called the
CHNOPS elements; the letters stand for the
chemical abbreviations of carbon, hydrogen,
nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur.
Carbon is the central element

 All biomolecules contain a Carbon chain or ring

 Carbon has 4 outer shell electrons (valence = 4)
 Therefore it’s bonding capacity is great
 It forms covalent bonds –hence, has strong bonds
 Once bound to other elements (or to other Carbons),
it is very stable
Carbon binds to more than just hydrogen!!
 To OH groups in
sugars
 To NH2 groups in
amino acids
 To H2PO4 groups of
nucleotides of DNA,
RNA, and ATP

Amino acid

OH, NH2, PO4 are called ‘functional groups’!

Functional groups:
 CARBOHYDRATES
 1:2:1 RATIO of Carbon, Hydrogen
and Oxygen.
 Main source of energy for living things
 Monomers are glucose, fructose,
and galactose
 Also has structural purpose for living
things.
1. Plant cells have cell walls made of
cellulose
2. Animal cells store excess sugars as
glycogen
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates- Glycogen
 Simple Sugars:Carbohydrates
 Simple Sugars:
 Disaccharide
 “Two” “Sugars”

 Examples:
 Table sugar: sugars=
Glucose + Fructose

 Maltose=
Glucose + Glucose

- Lactose=
Glucose + Galactose
Complex Sugars: Polysaccharide
 Starch: has thousands of glucoses
(sugars) bonded together

………Thousands
 LIPIDS
 Madeof Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen.
NOT soluble in water.
 store energy
 part of the cell membrane
 Saturated-Solid at room temperature.
No double bonds
 Unsaturated-liquid at room temperature.
Double bonds between carbons.
 Monomers consist of fatty acids plus
glycerol
Lipids (Fats)

A common
lipid is made
of 3 fatty
acids chains
connected to
a glycerol
Lipids (Fats)
 Glycerol: a type of alcohol. The back
bone of Fats.
 3 Fatty acid chains: Long chains of C &
H
 Saturated=as many C & H bonded as
possible, single bond, (Solid at Room
Temp.)
 Unsaturated= C and C bonds, must have
at least one double bond (usually Liquid
at Room Temp.) Generally good for you:
fish oil, avocado, olive oil, red meat, HDL
vs LDL
Lipids (Fats) Functions
 The main energy storing molecule
because of the high # of carbon to
carbon bonds. Why are bonds
important?
 …because they Store chemical
energy
 Lipids store more energy than any other
biomolecule
9 Cal/gram = lipids
 4 Cal/gram = carbohydrates and proteins
Lipids (Fats) Functions
 Insulate

 Main molecule of the

Cell membrane

 Make up some
hormones
(testosterone)
LIPIDS- Cell Membrane
Proteins
 PROTEINS
 Composed of Nitrogen, Carbon,
Hydrogen, and Oxygen.
 Monomers are called amino acids
 Control rate of reactions,also
function in transport and formation
of bone and muscle cells.
 Folded shape is important in
enzyme recognition process.
Proteins
 Made of Amino Acid
Chains

 Amino Acids are

bonded through a
peptide bond
Each ball is
An Amino
Acid.
Bonded by
Peptide
Bonds

There are 20
Amino Acids
There are 20 different occurring amino acids
Protein Function
1. Building material: muscle, bones, hair,
fingernails
2. Enzymes: Control rate of chemical
reaction in the cells and body
(catalyst)
3. Immunity: make up antibodies
4. Other specific functions such as
Hemoglobin: carry O2 in red blood
cells
5. Regulate cell processes
NUCLEIC ACIDS
 Composed of Hydrogen, Oxygen,
Nitrogen, Carbon, and Phosphorus.
 Monomers are called nucleotides.
 Phosphate group
 Nitrogenous base
 Sugar

 Store and transmit hereditary

information.
 ex. DNA , RNA
Nucleic Acids
Elements

Lipids - Primarily C, H and some O

Carbohydrates – C, H, O in a 1:2:1 ratio

Proteins – C, H, O, N

Nucleic Acids – C, H, O, N, P
?Questions?
 What type of bond connects Amino
Acids?
 What are lipids composed of?
 What are three of the macromolecules
of carbohydrates? What is the sugar
subunit?
 What are the four types of elements that
make up biomolecules?