Word of the Day

Macromolecule:

a larger molecule--there are 4 types that make up all living things!!

Biological Macromolecules

Similarities among all types of cells

All cells use nucleic acids (DNA) to store information

All cells use proteins (ex: enzymes) for chemical reactions

All cells use lipids (fats) for the cell membrane & long-term energy storage

All cells use carbohydrates for cell walls (if present), recognition, and short-term energy

Macromolecules Monomers (subunits)

Carbohydrates :monosaccharide

Lipids : glycerol and fatty acids

Proteins : amino acids

Nucleic acids :nucleotides

Where do macromolecules come from?

Some cells can make all of the monomers

Some cells can get these subunits from food

Some cells can convert other compounds into these subunits

A. Carbohydrates All have general formula CnH2nOn

C6H1206 Ex: Glucose

Carbohydrate StructureRINGS!

Glucose Galactose

Carbohydrate Structure

Monosaccharides can link to form disaccharides

Glucose Fructose Sucrose+

Carbohydrates

Function: to provide Cell structure

Cellulose in plant cell walls Lipopolysaccharides (LPS)

in bacterial cell wall

Chitin in exoskeleton

Complex Carbohydrates & Function

CelluloseMost abundant carbohydrate on the planet!

Makes up plant cell walls (structure) Indigestible by animals

Starch Energy storage molecule in plants Can be digested by animals

Glycogen Animal energy reserve Found primarily in liver and muscle

Complex Carbohydrates

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B. Lipids

Lipids Monomers: Fatty acids (Polymers of CH2

units) AND Glycerol Structure: long chains of CH2 units

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Lipids

Function Long-term Energy Storage Make up cell membranes and cell

compartments

C. Proteins Proteins serve many essential roles in the cell Monomer is amino acid 20 naturally occurring amino

acids The large number of amino acids allows huge

diversity in amino acid sequence

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Protein FunctionSome examples

Structure Lamins, collagen, keratin…….

Movement - Micro-tubueles, actin, myosin

Transport-regulate transport Channels, receptors, dynin, kinesin

Communication Hormones

Chemical Catalyst Enzymes (thousands of different enzymes)

Defense Antibodies, cellular immune factors

Regulatory Checkpoint proteins, cyclins, transcription factors

D. Nucleic Acids DNA –deoxyribonucleic acid RNA –ribonucleic acid

Monomer: nucleotide

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Function of Nucleic Acids Nucleic Acids

Information Storage DNA / mRNA

Information transfer / Recognition rRNA / tRNA / snRNA