Biochemistry ReviewCh.5 CP Biology

Organic Macromolecules

Macromolecule literally means “Giant Molecule”

Organic Macromolecules are all based on a “skeleton” of carbon atoms.

Life is based on Carbon for 2 reasons1. Carbon is abundant in nature2. Carbon has the ability to bond with itself

and with many different elements

4 Types of Macromolecules

Carbohydrates: Sugars + Starches

Lipids: Fats and Oils

Protein: Muscle Tissue

Nucleic Acids: Microscopic Genetic Material

Identify each example according to type of macromolecule. . .

Butter

Chicken Breast

Bread

Fish Filet

Pizza Grease

Corn Syrup

DNA

Polymerization

Macromolecules are built by linking together smaller molecules (monomers) into long chains (polymers)

Monomers combine by disconnecting from some of the hydrogen and oxygen atoms between them

After the monomers bond, the excess hydrogen and oxygen atoms form a water molecule.

Since this bonding process releases water, we call it Dehydration Synthesis or Dehydration-Hydrolysis

Carbohydrates: Monosaccharides

The monomer of carbohydrates is a single sugar with the chemical formula of C6H12O6

These simple sugars are called Monosaccharides

All monosaccharides have the same chemical formula, but different shapes.

Examples:GlucoseFructoseGalactose

Carbohydrates: Disaccharides

Disaccharide = Double sugar.

They’re made by joining 2 monosaccharides

Examples:Sucrose: Table SugarLactose: Milk SugarMaltose: Grain Sugar

SUCROSE: Table Sugar

Carbohydrates: Polysaccharides

Polysaccharide = Many sugars

This is a long chain of monosaccharides

Examples:Starch: Grain FoodsCellulose: Plant fiber

Starch

Glycogen

Cellulose

Glucose Monomer

Lipids

Lipids are made of mostly carbon and hydrogen.

Lipids are used in two ways:Storage of energyInsulate and Cushion Organs

Lipids are composed of two units bonded together that form the shape of a capital E.Glycerol: The vertical “backbone”Fatty Acids: The horizontal chains

Types of Lipids

There are two types of Lipids:Saturated - when each carbon atom in

the fatty acid chain is joined to another carbon by a single bond. The fatty acids are straight.

Unsaturated - if there is at least one carbon to carbon bond that is a double bond in a fatty acid chain. The fatty acids are bent.

glycerol molecule fatty acid chain

Comparing plant and animal fats

Most animal fats have a high proportion of saturated fatty acids & exist as solids at room temperature (butter, margarine, shortening)

Most plant oils tend to be low in saturated fatty acids & exist as liquids at room temperature (oils)

Proteins

Proteins contain nitrogen as well as carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Proteins are extremely long polymers of molecules called amino acids.

Proteins are used for muscles, act as hormones & enzymes, and do much of the work inside body cells

Protein Folding & Denaturing

Protein chains can bend and fold into a variety of shapes, depending on the job they need to do.

Some large proteins are made by combining many protein chains together.

Changes in temperature & pH can denature (unfold) a protein so that it no longer works

Denaturating Proteins

Cooking denatures protein in eggs

Milk protein separates into curds & whey when it is exposed to acids

Nucleic Acids

Nucleic acids are macromolecules containing hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus.

They are composed of long chains of nucleotides (monomer).

Nucleic acids store and transmit hereditary, or genetic, information.

There are two types of nucleic acid:DNA - deoxyribonucleic acidRNA - ribonucleic acid

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