What’s for Lunch?

A Case Study in Macromolecules

Azra Ramic

Part I
You and your friend Maria are supposed to meet at your place for lunch to catch up
with each other. You’ve both been craving burritos, so she picks up a couple and
brings them by. As you sit down and start eating, Maria looks at your burrito
bursting with ingredients, and looks at her own burrito, which is plainer and
contains only rice, sour cream, and cheese. She wonders out loud, “It seems weird
that we can both get all the energy and nutrients we need from such different foods.
Or can we? I’ve been feeling tired lately, but I’m eating and stuff. Maybe I just need
to drink more caffeine. Those Monster drinks help for awhile.”

As you quietly munch your flavorful food, your mind turns back to your biology
course. You wonder if what Maria is eating does provide her with all the nutrients
she needs. You say, “Hey, I have an idea. Let’s look at what you’re eating and see if
you’re getting all the major groups of macromolecules. I’m no dietitian, but maybe
we can figure something out based on what I’ve learned in bio.”

1. Analyze Maria’s burrito by filling in the chart below.

Burrito Macromolecule Monomer Biological

Ingredient Functions

Flour tortilla Carbohydrates Monosaccharides -Carbs provide and

store energy.
Nucleic Acids Nucleotides
-Nucleic acids carry
DNA

Rice Carbohydrates Monosaccharides -Carbs provide and

store energy.
Nucleic Acids Nucleotides
-Nucleic acids carry
DNA

Sour cream Carbohydrates Monosaccharides -Carbs provide and

store energy.
Lipids 1 simple sugar and
also 3 fatty acids -Lipids act as
Nucleic Acids chemical
Nucleotides messengers,
 storage and the
supplying of
energy.

-Nucleic acids carry

DNA

Cheese Carbohydrates Monosaccharides -Carbs provide and

store energy.
Lipids 1 glycerol and also
3 fatty acids - Lipids act as
Nucleic Acids chemical
Nucleotides messengers,
storage and the
supplying of energy

-Nucleic acids carry

DNA

2. What class or classes of macromolecules is missing in Maria’s burrito? Please

list them as well as each class’s monomer and biological functions.
-Maria is missing protein in her burrito. Proteins contain amino acids (Openstax,
2018.). Protein also assists the body in being able to have strong bones and
muscles and it helps with tissue building and repair.
3. Use the template below to make your own chart for what you would eat in a
burrito.

Burrito Macromolecule Monomer Biological

Ingredient Functions

Chicken Protein Amino Acids -Provides energy

and aides in tissue
Nucleic Acids Nucleotides building and
repair.

-Nucleic acids
carry DNA

Lettuce Carbohydrates Monosaccharides -Carbs provide and

store energy.
Nucleic Acids Nucleotides
 -Nucleic acids
carry DNA

Salsa Carbohydrates Monosaccharides -Carbs provide and

store energy.
Nucleic Acids Nucleotides
-Nucleic acids
Lipids 1 simple sugar and carry DNA
also 3 fatty acids
-Lipids act as
chemical
messengers,
storage and the
supplying of
energy

Sour Cream Carbohydrates Monosaccharides -Carbs provide and

store energy.
Nucleic Acids Nucleotides
-Nucleic acids
Lipids 1 simple sugar and carry DNA
also 3 fatty acids
-Lipids act as
chemical
messengers,
storage and the
supplying of
energy

Corn Carbohydrates Monosaccharides -Carbs provide and

store energy.
Nucleic Acids Nucleotides
-Nucleic acids
carry DNA

Flour Tortilla Carbohydrates Monosaccharides -Carbs provide and

store energy.
Nucleic Acids Nucleotides
-Nucleic acids
carry DNA

Cheese Carbohydrates Monosaccharides -Carbs provide and

 store energy.
Nucleic Acids Nucleotides
-Nucleic acids
Lipids 1 simple sugar and carry DNA
also 3 fatty acids
-Lipids act as
chemical
messengers,
storage and the
supplying of
energy

4. Are you missing any classes of macromolecules? If so, please list them below.
- I included all four macromolecules, which are carbohydrates, nucleic acids,
lipids and proteins.

Part II
After working through the macromolecules in your friend’s extremely pale burrito,
you look at her and think you might have an idea about what is going on. You ask
Maria, “Do you usually eat like this?” “Yup,” she says, “I love all the carbs, rice, and
bread, as well as cheese. Sometimes I eat a piece of fruit or some carrot sticks. And
energy drinks!” You then point out to your friend that she seems to be getting very
little protein, a major class of macromolecules. But she is getting plenty of
carbohydrates and lipids in the form of animal fats.

1. While your body can convert the monomers of macromolecules from one to the
other, it has to have the raw materials in the form of the appropriate atoms. You
explain to your friend that when she eats proteins, they are broken down into
amino acids through the process of protein catabolism and can then be rebuilt
into new proteins through the process of protein synthesis.

a. If your body does not take in protein, but only carbohydrates and lipids,
what atoms will it be missing? Hint: There are two, and you can figure this
out by comparing the structures of the monomers for proteins and
carbohydrates as well as the basic structure of lipids.
- The two atoms that are missing are Nitrogen and Sulfur.

b. For the above atoms, how many electrons are in the outer shell?
- The outer shell for Nitrogen contains 5 electrons. While the out shell for
Sulfur contains 6 electrons.

c. For the above atoms, what type of bond will they make within the amino
acid monomer?
 - Both Nitrogen and Sulfur have a single bond within the amino acid
monomer.

d. Even if your friend does obtain the correct atoms, there are still a couple
amino acids that your body cannot manufacture from scratch, but must
be ingested. What are these amino acids?
- There are 9 amino acids, out of 20, that the body cannot manufacture
from scratch. They are threonine, valine, leucine, phenylalanine, histidine,
tryptophan, isoleucine, methionine, and lysine.

2. Why might a lack of protein or the wrong types of proteins lead to

your friend’s fatigue?
- The reason why not consuming enough protein is bad is because it can cause
muscle cramping, weakness, and soreness (Leal, Darla, 2019.). Protein is one of
the main sources for energy. It allows the glucose to be broken down, and the
blood sugar in your body can be used in a healthy way.

Part III
“Well,” Maria states as she finishes her burrito, “I might have to adjust my diet a
little, but I still think that caffeine will help me get the energy I need short term. And
I might have become reliant on Diet Coke with all these late nights at work.”

You think about this. You don’t remember caffeine as a macromolecule you learned
about. But you do remember talking about a class of macromolecules that can be
used by the body for energy.

1. What is the class of macromolecule that can be used directly in

cellular respiration to make ATP (energy currency of the cell)? What is the
specific molecule that feeds into cellular respiration?
- Carbohydrates is the class of macromolecules that can be used directly in
cellular respiration to make ATP. The glucose molecule is the primary fuel for
cellular respiration. Cellular respiration breaks down food and converts it to
energy for an organism (Study, 2003.).

2. Is caffeine really a source of energy? Write a paragraph explanation for your

friend. She will only accept information from a reliable source, so make sure
your source(s) of information is reliable and cite it here. Be sure to use APA Style
to cite any sources!
- When thinking of caffeine, the thought of energy follows. Caffeine is a stimulant
that can increase your blood pressure and heart rate. Caffeine works by binding
to adenosine receptors located in the central and peripheral nervous systems as
well as in various organs, such as the heart, and blood vessels (Jennifer L.,
2017.). Caffeine is not a good source of energy but foods like bananas, eggs and
fish are good ways to get that energy.
Cited Sources

Leal, Darla. “The Effects of Protein Deficiency.” Verywell Fit, Verywell Fit, 2
Oct. 2019, www.verywellfit.com/what-are-the-effects-of-protein-
deficiency-4160404.

Mandal, Ananya. “Lipid Biological Functions.” Lipid Biological Functions, 16

Apr. 2019, www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/Lipid-Biological-
Functions.aspx.

OpenStax CNX. (2018, March 28). Biology. Retrieved from

https://openstax.org/details/books/biology-2e.

Temple, Jennifer L, et al. “The Safety of Ingested Caffeine: A Comprehensive

Review.” Frontiers in Psychiatry, Frontiers Media S.A., 26 May 2017,
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5445139/.

“What Is the Primary Fuel for Cellular Respiration?” Study.com, Study.com,

2003, study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-the-primary-fuel-for-
cellular-respiration.html.