MACROMOLECULES

ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
§Compounds that contain CARBON
are called organic.

§Macromolecules are large organic

molecules.
CARBON (C)
§ Carbon has 4 electrons in outer
shell.
§ Carbon can form covalent bonds
with as many as 4 other atoms
(elements).

§ Usually with C, H, O or N.

§ Example: CH4(methane)
 CH4 =
CARBON LINKAGES
Propane
§ Single chains
§ Rings = C3H8

The 4 types of biomolecules

often consist of large carbon
chains
 MACROMOLECULES
§ Large organic molecules
§ POLYMERS – long molecules consisting of
many similar or identical building blocks
linked by covalent bonds
§ MONOMERS – repeating units that serve
as building blocks of a polymer
MACROMOLECULES

1. Carbohydrates
2. Lipids
3. Proteins
4. Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA)
 Proteins Lipids

Nucleic acids Carbohydrates

§Names of the 4 macromolecules
§Structure - monomers and polymers
of each
§Function - what are they used for?
§Food sources - what foods will you
find these in?
MONOMERS AND POLYMERS
§ Monomers are made into polymers via dehydration reactions or
condensation polymerization
§ Polymers are broken down into monomers via hydrolysis reactions
§ Condensation polymerization (aka as dehydration synthesis) removes
an OH and H during synthesis of a new molecule.

ATP

Biological molecules 10
§ Water is formed and ATP is required

Water (H2O)

Monomers Polymer
energy
ATP ADP+Pi

Biological molecules 11
§ Hydrolysis breaks a covalent bond by adding OH and H from a water
molecule

Biological molecules 12
 § Water is required

Water (H2O)

Polymer Monomers

Biological molecules 13
Fig. 3.3
CARBOHYDRATES
 CARBOHYDRATES

§Monomer / Building block:

MONOSACCHARIDE

A. monosaccharide
B. disaccharide
C. polysaccharide
 Carbohydrates

sugars

Monosaccharides Disaccharides Polysaccharides

(monomers) ( Dimers) (polymers)

Biological molecules 17
 § Fructose – fruit sugar
§ Galactose - milk sugar
§ Glucose – blood sugar

Biological molecules 18
Examples of sugar monomers
 § Lactose (milk sugar): glucose + galactose
§ Maltose (malt sugar): glucose + glucose
§ Sucrose (table sugar): glucose + fructose

sucrose
Biological molecules
Biological molecules
POLYSACCHARIDES
§ Complex carbohydrates
(polysaccharides)
§ Starch
§ Glycogen
§ Cellulose
§ Chitin

Glycogen to glucose
in animals
 Polysaccharides
Starch structure vs Glycogen structure
Polysaccharides: Cellulose structure
Chitin – arthropod exoskeleton and fungal cell wall
§ modified form of cellulose

Biological molecules 27
PROTEINS
 PROTEINS

§ Monomer: Amino Acid

§ Amino acids (20 different kinds of aa)

bonded together by peptide bonds
(polypeptides).
FUNCTIONS OF PROTEINS

§ Enzyme catalysts – specific for 1 reaction

§ Defense – antibody proteins, other proteins
§ Transport – Hgb, Mgb, transferrins, etc
§ Structural – keratin, fibrin, collagen
§ Movement – actin/myosin, cytoskeletal fibers
§ Regulation- some hormones, regulatory
proteins on DNA, cell receptors
§ Storage – Ca and Fe attached to storage
proteins, albumin (egg white)
Fig. 3.18
Biological molecules 33
Biological molecules 34
Biological molecules 35
Biological molecules 36
Biological molecules 37
Biological molecules 38
Biological molecules 39
Biological molecules 40
Biological molecules 41
§ Amino acids are JOIN together by DNA
§ PEPTIDE BONDS
Transcription
§ Following a sequence dictated by the
DNA
mRNA

Translation

Polypeptide/
Protein

Biological molecules
 20 naturally
occurring and
encoded by DNA
Asdf

Asdf

Biological molecules 44
Biological molecules 45
n Shape of a proteins are important because
n This determines how they interact with
other molecules
n This determines their particular function

Biological molecules 46
§ Proteinshave complex
structures. The shape of
a protein determines its
function!
§ The levelsof protein
structure are:
§ Primary structure:
polypeptide chain
§ Secondary structure:
polypeptides in coils or
sheets
§ Tertiary structure: coils or
sheets form a tangle
§ Quaternary structure:
more than one tangle
combine to make a very
complex protein!
 PRIMARY STRUCTURE
Peptide(phosphodiester) bonds

phe glu tyr ser iso met phe glu

Secondary
Structure

Biological molecules 48
 TERTIARY STRUCTURE

Quaternary
Structure

Biological molecules 49
Biological molecules
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)
LIPIDS
 LIPIDS
§ Monomer: fatty acids
§ Compounds which are not soluble in water.
§ “stores the most energy”
Functions of lipids:
1. Long term energy storage
2. Protection against heat loss (insulation)
3. Protection against physical shock
4. Protection against water loss
5. Chemical messengers (hormones)
6. Major component of membranes
(phospholipids)
§ Most lipids are composed of a of glycerol molecule with attached fatty
acids

GLYCEROL FATTY ACIDS

Glycerol

Fatty acid

Fatty acid
Triglyceride
Fatty acid

Phospholipid GLYCEROL
HYDROPHOBIC END
Glycerol

Fatty acid

Fatty acid

PO4
FATTY ACIDS
Biological molecules 60
HYDROPHYLIC END
GLYCEROL AND FATTY ACID CHAINS
§ Some lipids have a four ringed structure
§ Eg. Cholesterol and other lipids that are derived from cholesterol

Biological molecules 62
LIPIDS
1. Fats
2. Phospholipids
3. Oils
4. Waxes
5. Steroid hormones
 SATURATED AND UNSATURATED FATS

The difference resides in the number of H’s attached to C’s in

the fatty acid chains; the amount of “saturation” on the C’s
STRUCTURE OF PHOSPHOLIPID

The 3 C’s of glycerol are bound to:

2 fatty acid chains
phosphate
CELL ENVIRONMENT ORGANIZES PHOSPHOLIPID
BILAYER TO PROPER ORIENTATION

Hydrophilic (polar) “heads” of P-lipid oriented

to the exterior; hydrophobic (non-polar)
“tails” oriented to the interior
§ An important structural component of membranes

Phospholipids are the primary structural component

of all cellular membranes, such as the plasma
membrane (false color TEM above).

Biological molecules 74
§ acts as a shock absorber and good insulator

The white fat tissue (arrows) is

visible in this ox kidney

Fat absorbs shocks.

Organs that are prone to
bumps and shocks (e.g.
kidneys) are cushioned with
a relatively thick layer of fat.
Biological molecules
Stored lipids provide insulation
in extreme environments.
Increased body fat levels in
winter reduce heat losses to the
environment. 75
§ Water proofing of some
surfaces

§ Transmission of

chemical messages
via hormones

Waxes and oils, when

secreted on to surfaces
provide waterproofing in
Biological molecules plants and animals. 76
NUCLEIC ACIDS
 NUCLEIC ACIDS
§ Monomer: Nucleotides
§ Two types:
a. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA-
double helix)
b. Ribonucleic acid (RNA-single
strand)
NUCLEIC ACIDS
Nucleotides include:
§phosphate group
§pentose sugar (5-carbon)
§nitrogenous bases:
adenine (A)
thymine (T) DNA only
uracil (U) RNA only
cytosine (C)
guanine (G)
NUCLEOTIDE
Phosphate
Group

O 5
O=P-O CH2
O
O
N
Nitrogenous base
C4 C1 (A, G, C, or T)
Sugar
(deoxyribose)
C3 C2
DNA - DOUBLE HELIX
5
O 3

3
O
P 5 P
5
O
1 G C 3
2
4 4
2 1
3 5
O
P P
5
T A 3

O
5
P 3 P
One polymer of nucleotides on one “backbone” of nucleic acid
purines pyrimidines

Biological molecules 84
Biological molecules 87
Macromolecule Broken down in stomach
eaten: to:
Carbohydrates Simple sugars (i.e. glucose)

Lipids Fatty acids & glycerol

(glycerol further broken
down to glucose)
Proteins Amino acids

Nucleic Acids Nucleotides