Macromolecules

Section 2.3 Notes

A little chemical review

• Molecules• Compounds • Bonding

“Organic” means “Carbon”

• Organic compounds make up all living things.

• All living things are built on a carbon backbone.

• “Carbon-based life forms”

The versatile carbon atom

• 95% of living things are made up of Hydrogen, Oxygen, Carbon, and Nitrogen.

• Carbon can make four bonds.

• It easily bonds with itself to form chains, rings and multiple bonds.

Macromolecule categories

• Carbohydrates

• Lipids

• Proteins

• Nucleic Acids

Building Blocks

• Macromolecules are made up of monomers, otherwise called building blocks, usually found in long chains called polymers.

Carbohydrates

• Building Blocks• Saccharides (sugars)• Monosaccharides

• Common names• Sugar• Starch• Glucose• Cellulose

• Use• Energy (main source)

• Structure

• Found as Food• Pasta

• Bread

• Fruit and fruit juices

• Candy

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates

OH

OH

H

H

HO

CH2OH

H

H

H

OH

O

Glucose

Carbohydrates

• Storage or use• Animals store carbs

as glycogen.• Plants use carbs as

cellulose and store as starch.

• Invertebrates convert it to chitin. (exoskeletons)

Lipids

• Building Blocks• Fatty acids

• Common names• Fats• Oil• Waxes• Steroids

• Use• Energy

• Insulation/Protection

• Coloration

• Found as Food• Animal Fats

• Vegetable oils

• Butter

Lipids: Fats & Oils

Lipids

Lipids

• Storage or use• Steroids:estrogen and

testosterone• Pigments • Cholesterol• Cell membrane• Saturated or

unsaturated fat

Protein

• Building Blocks• Amino acids

• Common names• Meat• Collagen• Enzymes• Hormones

• Use• Structure

• Catalysts

• Cellular Transport

• Found as Foods• Meat

• Beans

• Peanuts

Proteins

Protein

Protein

• Storage or use• Enzymes: insulin,

pepsin, lactase. • Hair• Bones• Muscles• Over 1/2 of the bodies

dry weight

Nucleic Acids

• Building Blocks• Nucleotides

• Common names• DNA• RNA

• Use• Store and transmit

hereditary information

• Make proteins

• Found as Food• All cells nuclei

Nucleic Acids

Nucleic Acids

• Storage or use• DNA in nucleus of

cell• RNA are found in

three forms: messenger RNA, transfer RNA and ribosomal RNA.