Transcript Chemistry of Macromolecules

Biology Ch. 7-3
 BIG
biological
molecules
• Made of smaller
parts
 Monomers
 Carbon-based
(organic)
• Carbohydrates
• Nucleic acids
• Proteins
• Lipids
 Monomer?
• Glycerol head
• Fatty acid tail
 Used for:
• Long term energy storage
• Insulation
• Major component of
membranes
• Signaling molecules and
hormones
 Examples:
• Fats, oils, waxes
 Found in:
• All the good tasting foods

 Cell
membranes surround:
• Prokaryotic & Eukaryotic cells
1.
2.
3.
Regulate passage of material into/out of cell
Provide limited support & protection to cell
Communicate with other cells
 Made
of Phospholipids
• phosphorus (hydrophilic) “head”
• lipid (hydrophobic) “tail”
 Phospholipid
bilayer
• a double layer of phospholipids
 Protein
Channels
• allows large molecules to pass through
 Carbohydrate
antennae
• picks up messages from outside the cell
 Cholesterol
• lipids that prevent freezing
Carbohydrate antenna
Phospholipid bilayer
Protein channels
The
membrane is a fluid-mosaic:
• Flexible; not rigid
• Semi-permeable: picky about what
enters/exits the cell
 Small
Molecules move through bilayer
• H2O, CO2 & O2
 Large
Molecules move through proteins
• C6H12O6 (GLUCOSE)
 http://www.wiley.com/legacy/college/b
oyer/0470003790/animations/membrane
_transport/membrane_transport.htm
 http://www.susanahalpine.com/anim/Lif
e/memb.htm