Transcript Macromolecules

Macromolecules
The building blocks of life
Hierarchy of life
Living organisms are made up smaller
units; macromolecules; “giant
molecules”.
 There are four groups of organic
compounds found in living things;

 They
are:
 Carbohydrates
 Lipids
 Nucleic
acids
 proteins
Macromolecules

These large molecules are based
around the chemistry of carbon
 Remember
Carbon can have four
covalent bonds.
 This
gives carbon the ability to form chains
that are unlimited in length.

Macromolecules are formed by a
process known as polymerization.
Polymerization
Polymerization is
when large
compounds are
built by joining
smaller ones
together.
 The smaller units
are called
monomers.
 These monomers
join together to
make polymers.

Polymerization

Basic formula:
 Monomer + Monomer + Monomer
= Polymer.

For example: Amino Acid +Amino Acid
+Amino Acid = Protein.

Or, Glucose +Glucose + Glucose
+Glucose = Starch
Carbohydrates

Means Energy!
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the main source of
energy for living things.
 General Formula: (CH2O)
 Plants and some animals use
carbohydrates for structural
purposes.
 The monomer for carbohydrates are
called monosaccharides.
 The polymer is called
polysaccharides.

Monomer: Glucose (C6H12O6)
A common
monomer for
carbohydrates is
glucose. It is a
simple sugar. This
is the form the cells
in our body can
break down.
 Other common
monomers are
fructose and
galactose.

Polymerization of
Carbohydrates:

A chain of glucose molecules can, depending
on how they are linked become starch,
glycogen or cellulose.
Carbohydrates (Animal use)



Many animals store
excess sugar in a
polysaccharide called
glycogen.
When blood sugar
levels drop, the
glycogen is released
from the liver.
Glycogen stored in
your muscles supplies
the energy for
movement.
Carbohydrates (Plant Use)
Plants use a different polysaccharide
called starch to store excess sugar.
 Plants also use cellulose, another
polysaccharide, which is tough,
flexible.

 This
is the major component of wood and
paper.
 Humans can not digest cellulose – it is
fiber.
Carbohydrates Function

Store Energy.
For animals in
glycogen
For Plants in
Starch
Carbohydrates Function

Structure!
Carbohydrates Function

Structure:

Insects use chitin
in their exoskeleton.
Lipids
Lipids: The facts
Lipids are not soluble in water.
 Lipids are made mostly from carbon
and hydrogen atoms.
 Lipids can be used to store energy
 Some lipids are important parts of
biological membranes and
waterproof coverings.
 Steroids are lipids, too.

Lipid General Formula
Lipids
Unsaturated fats
 Saturated Fats
 This fatty acid
 There is at least one
contains the
carbon to carbon
maximum possible
bond.




Liquids at room
temperature.
Examples include:
Olive oil, corn oil,
canola oil, peanut
oil, fish oil etc.


number of hydrogen
atoms.
These are usual
animal fats.
Fat on meat, grease
Lipids

Unsaturated Fats

Saturated Fats
Lipids: Review

Lipids are comprised of two major
parts:
 Glycerol
and fatty acid
Lipids hate water; meaning they are
hydro phobic.
 There are two major types of Fats:

 Saturated
(no double bond)
 Unsaturated (at least one double bond).
Eating too much fat leads to
Bad News...Let this be a lesson
to us all!
Nucleic Acids
DNA
Nucleic Acids: The facts
Nucleic acids store and transmit hereditary
or genetic information.
 There are two types of nucleic acids:

 RNA
(Ribonucleic Acid)
 DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)
Nucleotides
Nucleic acids are
polymers
assembled from
individual
monomers known
as nucleotides.
 Nucleotides consist
of three parts:




5 Carbon sugar
A phosphate group
Nitrogenous base
Types of Nucleotides:
DNA and RNA
DNA
RNA
Proteins
Proteins
Proteins are macromolecules that are found
throughout our bodies.
 Proteins have many different functions such
as:






Control the rate of reactions
Regulate cell processes
To form bones and muscles
To transport substances into or out of the cell.
To fight disease
Amino Acids
Proteins are
polymers of
molecules called
Amino Acids.
 There are more
than 20 different
forms of amino
acids.
 Amino acids have a
different side chain
called the R-group.

Levels of organization of
Proteins
Chemical Reactions
A Chemical reaction is a process that
changes one set of chemicals into
another set of chemicals.
 Chemical reactions always involve the
breaking of bonds in reactants and
the formation of bonds in products.

CO2 + H2O  H2CO3
(Reactants)
(Products)
Energy in Reactions
Chemical reactions that release energy
often occur spontaneously.
 Chemical reactions that absorb energy
will not occur without a source of
energy.
 There are two types of Chemical
Reactions:

 Energy-Absorbing
Reactions
 Energy-Releasing Reactions
Energy Absorbing Reactions
Energy-Releasing Reactions
Enzymes
Enzymes are
proteins that act as
biological catalysts.
 Enzymes speed up
chemical reactions
that take place in
cells.
 Enzymes lower the
activation energy!
