Biological

Macromolecules
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
PHYSICALSCI12
MCA MANDALUYONG
Objective
Explain how the structures of biological macromolecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic
acid, and proteins determine their properties and function
Macromolecules
- are large, complex molecules. They are usually the product of smaller molecules

- also called polymer, which derives from the Greek prefix poly- to mean “many units.” In
broken-down terms, a macromolecule is the product of many smaller molecular units.
Classes of Macromolecules
1. Carbohydrates
2. Proteins
3. Lipids
4. Nucleic Acid
Activity 1. Carbohydrates

Fig. 1. Structure of simple monosaccharides.

Figure 2. Different Structures of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates
-contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen only with a ratio 1:2:1
-The term carbohydrate comes from the Latin word saccharum which means sugar

The carbohydrate that we eat which is our main source of energy is converted into glucose
which is readily used in the body.
Classification of Carbohydrates
Monosaccharides are sugar with one saccharide unit. Glucose (used as dextrose and sugar found
in blood), galactose (found in milk and other milk products), and fructose (sugar found in fruits and
honey) are monosaccharides.

Disaccharides are sugar with two saccharide unit joined by a glycosidic bond. Maltose is a
disaccharide formed from 2 Glucose units and is found in malt. Sucrose found in regular table
sugar contains glucose and fructose units. Lactose found in milk and milk products is a
disaccharide containing Glucose and Galactose units.

Polysaccharides are sugar contains many saccharide units. Starch and Cellulose are
polysaccharides. Starch, a storage form of glucose in plants and cellulose, the structural material in
plant cell wall composed of 250 - 400 glucose molecules connected via α-1-4-glycosidic bond.
Protein
-comes from the Greek word proteios which means first, believed to be the beginning of life
- Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Nitrogen are the elements that make up a protein
-made from multiple units of simple molecules called amino acids
-Combination of 20 amino acid joined by a peptide bond makes a protein. Thus, proteins are
called polypeptides.
Examples of Proteins
Collagen - found in connective tissues such as tendons, ligaments, skin, cartilage and the cornea of the eye.
Fibroin/Silk protein – one of the strongest natural fibers found in silk
Keratin - a fibrous protein in hair, skin, and nails.
 Myoglobin - contains a heme group contains an iron (II) ion at its center where oxygen is being stored.
 Hemoglobin - is a globular protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to the bloodstream
 Enzymes on the other hand, are substances that catalyze a reaction. The following are examples of enzymes
and their specific function.
 1. Lipase - help in digestion of fats
2. Pepsin - help in breaking down proteins into peptides (smaller units)
3. Sucrase - help in the digestion of sugars and starches
Lipids
-are family of biomolecules group together because of its property of being hydrophobic (water-
fearing)
- come from the Greek word lipos meaning fat
-Lipids are non-polar molecules making it soluble to non-polar solvents like acetone, ether and
benzene
Classification of Lipids
1. Fatty Acid
2. Triglycerides
3. Phospholipids
Fatty Acid
Fatty acid is a chain-like molecule containing a long
chain of carboxylic acid. Fatty acid can be saturated
(contains single bonds) in its long chain hydrocarbon
chain or unsaturated (contains double bond). Since
lipids are non-polar molecule, it is insoluble in water.
Saturated fatty acid is a straight chain where all the
carbon atoms in the chain have two hydrogen singly
bonded to making the molecules to form a strong
attraction. Because of this strong attraction,
saturated fatty acid have high melting point and are
solid at room temperature Unsaturated fatty acid
on the other hand, tends to bend due to the
presence of a double bond in one of the carbon in
the chain. The molecule will not be as close as that
of the saturated fatty acid. Unsaturated fatty acids
have low melting points than saturated fatty acids.
Triglycerides
Are lipids that contain glycerol backbone
and 3 fatty acids.
Fat and oils are example of triglycerides.
Fats are usually from animal sources
contain mostly saturated fatty acid
making it solid at room temperature.
Oil refers to a triglyceride from plant
sources. It contains unsaturated fatty
acid and is liquid at room temperature.
Phospholipids
-contains glycerol, two fatty acids, and a
phosphate group. Phospholipids (Fig.8),
unlike other kind of lipids, it has a polar end
(hydrophilic end) which is the phosphate
group and non-polar end (hydrophobic end),
the fatty acid group. The dual property of
liquid allows the phospholipid to form a
bilayer.
Nucleic Acid
serve as storage of genetic information of the cell. It is made up of nucleotide monomers that
contain a nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar, and a phosphate group. DNA and RNA are the two
types of nucleic acid with specific functions.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), the blueprint of life carries the genetic material and provides
information for its own replication. It is a double helix structure composed of a sugar and
phosphate backbone and complementary bases Adenine-Thymine and Cytosine-Guanine pair.
RNA (ribonucleic acid) on the other hand, carries the information from DNA for protein
synthesis. There are three types of RNA namely:
1. Messenger RNA (mRNA)
2. Ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
3. Transfer RNA (tRNA)
Figure 9. Structure of Nucleic Acid
Summary:
Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids and Nucleic acid are the four classes of
macromolecules.
Carbohydrates composed mainly carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. It is categorized as
simple sugar (monosaccharides and disaccharides) and complex sugar
(polysaccharides). Glucose, Galactose and Fructose are examples of
monosaccharides. Disaccharides are carbohydrates composed of 2 saccharides
units and a polysaccharide with many saccharide units. The saccharide units in
disaccharides and polysaccharides are bonded via glycosidic bond.
Proteins composed C, H, O, and N. Sulfur and other metals can also be found in
some proteins. Proteins as one of the macromolecules that are made from
multiple units of simple molecules called amino acids.
Summary:
Collagen, Keratin, Hemoglobin, Myoglobin, and Fibroin are examples of Proteins.
It properties and function is determine by their structures. Enzymes are also a
kind of protein which catalyzes a reaction without being used up.
Lipids are family of biomolecules group together because of its property of being
hydrophobic (water-fearing). Lipids are non-polar molecules making it soluble to
non-polar solvents like acetone, ether and benzene. It is classified into four
categories: (1) triglycerides, (2) Phospholipids, (3) Steroids.
Nucleic Acid is important macromolecules that serve as storage of genetic
information of the cell. It is made up of nucleotide monomers that contain a
nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar, and a phosphate group. DNA and RNA are
the two types of nucleic acid with specific functions.