BIOMOLECULES

Molecules are either inorganic compounds or organic compounds

Organic-has carbon

Inorganic-no carbon

Why is carbon so special?

It can form 4 bonds with other atoms. It loves to COVALENTLY BOND!

It can form single, double, and triple bonds.

There are 4 types of biomolecules in our bodies

Carbohydrates

Lipids (fats)

Proteins

Nucleic acid (DNA)

These are large molecules (polymer) that are made up of smaller building blocks (monomers)

Polymers are made of monomers.

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

The 4 types of biomolecules often consist of large carbon chains

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

Monomers are made into polymers via dehydration reactions

Polymers are broken down into monomers via hydrolysis reactions

PROTEINS
Composed of chains of amino acids
Elements: C, H, O, N, or S (sulfur)

Structure: look for N or S

20 amino acids exist

Amino acids contain

Central Carbon

Amine group

Carboxyl group
What do they do

Hemoglobin in your blood that carries oxygen

Muscles, tendons, hair

Defend body from microorganisms

Control chemical reactions-enzymes

Carry out almost all of the body’s everyday functions

Building block-amino acids

The chain (polymer) of amino acids forms a variety of loops, coils, and folded sheets from an
assortment of bonds and attractions between amino acids within the chain(s)

There are at least 7 functions of proteins

Enzyme catalysts – specific for 1 reaction

Defense – antibody proteins, other proteins

Transport- Hgb, Mgb, transferrins, etc

Support – keratin, fibrin, collagen

Motion – actin/myosin, cytoskeletal fibers

Regulation- some hormones, regulatory proteins on DNA, cell receptors

Storage – Ca and Fe attached to storage protein

There are four levels of protein structure

Primary = sequence of aa’s

Secondary = forms pleated sheet, helix, or coil

Tertiary = entire length of aa’s folded into a shape

Quaternary = several aa sequences linked together

*A protein’s shape is very important

*You change the shape of a protein, you change the function or lose the function

CARBOHYDRATES

Elements-C, H, O

Function: Main source of energy, gives plants tough structure

Examples: sugars and starches, glycogen, sucrose, glucose, cellulose

Shape-rings connected

Building Block-monosaccharide or simple sugars (glucose)

Simple sugars (monosaccharides)

Different types of carbohydrates
Only one 3-C, 5-C, 6-C chain or ring
involved

Fructose - fruit

Galactose - milk
*Based on size

Monosaccharide-one sugar

Glucose, galactose (found in milk), fructose (found in fruit)

Disaccharide-two sugars

lactose

Polysaccharide-many sugars

Cellulose-makes plants have a rigid structure

Glycogen-animal starch

Simple sugars (monosaccharides)

Only one 3-C, 5-C, 6-C chain or ring involved

LIPID (FATS)

(hydrophobic)
Elements-C, H, O
Has the most energy but we can’t consume tons of fat; part of membranes; insulation
Structure-long chain of carbons attached
Examples: cholesterol, wax, steroids, oils
Building Block-fatty acids and glycerol

Central core of glycerol

Bound to up to 3 fatty acid chains
They exhibit a high number of C-H bonds – therefore much energy and non-polar
When placed in water, lipids spontaneously cluster together
They help organize the interior content of cells “phospholipids”

Saturated vs. Unsaturated

Saturated-bad for you; causes cholesterol problems, clogged arteries; solid at room
temperature; lard
Unsaturated-liquid at room temperature; not as bad for you; olive oil, canola oil,
peanut oil
Trans fat-type of unsaturated; causes coronary heart disease

Phospholipids and cell membranes

P-lipids make up the majority of cell membranes including:
The plasma membrane
Nuclear envelope
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
Golgi apparatus
Membrane-bound vesicles
Cell environment organizes P-lipid bilayer to proper orientation
Hydrophilic (polar) “heads” of P-lipid oriented to the exterior; hydrophobic (non-polar)
“tails” oriented to the interior

Nucleic acids: DNA and RNA

DNA = deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA is a double polymer (chain)
Each chain is made of nucleotides
The 2 chains bond together to form a helix

Each nucleotide in DNA contains:

5-C sugar
(deoxyribose)
Phosphate
Nitrogen base
-adenine (A)
-guanine (G)
-cytosine (C)
-thymine (T)