Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Categories of Macromolecules
What are Four Types of Macromolecules?
• Carbohydrates
• Lipids
• Proteins
• Nucleic Acids
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are made of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen
•Hydrogen & Oxygen in ratio of 2:1
Common Sources (Foods) of Carbohydrates
•Starches: Potatoes, Wheat, Barley
•Glycogen: Animal Liver
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Monosaccharides = Sub-Units (monomers) of
Carbohydrates
• Ribose
• Fructose
• Glucose
Monosaccharides can be classified based on C#
• Trioses = 3 Carbon Sugars
• Pentoses = 5 Carbon Sugars
• Hexoses = 6 Carbon Sugars
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Disaccharides are 2 monosaccharides
• Maltose = Glucose + Glucose
• Sucrose = Glucose + Fructose
• Lactose = Glucose + Galactose
Polysaccharides are many monosaccharides
• Starch (storage form of glucose in Plants)
• Glycogen (storage form of glucose in Animals)
• Cellulose (polymer of glucose in Plant Cell Walls)
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Monomer of Carbohydrate = Monosaccharide
Dimer of Carbohydrate = Disaccharide
Polymer of Carbohydrate = Polysaccharide
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Lipids
What are Lipids?
Lipid Terminology:
Steroids –
Waxes –
Fatty Acids –
Triglycerides –
Oils vs. Fats
• Triglyceride that is Solid @ Room Temperature = Fat
• Triglyceride that is Liquid @ Room Temperature = Oil
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Formation of Triglycerides
*If fatty acid chain contains double bond = Unsaturated
If fatty acid chain does not contain double bond = Saturated
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Condensation vs. Hydrolysis
• Polymers of Carbohydrates, Lipids, and Proteins are
formed by Condensation Reactions
• Dehydration Synthesis Rxns, where water is removed to
form bond between monomers
• Removal of –OH from 1 monomer, and
Removal of –H from the other monomer
• Polymers are broken down to monomers through
Hydrolysis
• Addition of water to break (lyse) bonds
• Giving an –OH to 1 monomer, and
Giving a –H to 1 monomer
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Lipids vs. Carbohydrates
• Carbohydrates are metabolized before lipids
• We burn Carbs faster
• Lipids are used for long-term energy storage, and
contain twice as much energy per gram as carbs
• If diet is high in Carbs, then body spends time burning
carbs and not fat. If diet is low in Carbs, then body spends
time burning fat, AND produces more energy!
**Lipids are Insoluble!**
Insoluble = Nonpolar = Hydrophobic
Soluble = Polar = Hydrophilic
Macromolecules
Monomer of Lipids = Fatty Acid
Polymer of Lipids = Triglyceride
November 5 — 9, 2012
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Proteins
Amino Acids
• Building Blocks (monomers) of Proteins
• All amino acids have the same basic structure,
including an “R” group
• Composition of the “R” group is different for each one
of the 20 amino acids
• “R” group can be either polar or non-polar; positively
charged or negatively charged; a ring structure or a
linear chain
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Peptides
• Amino Acids are also called Peptides
• Two Amino Acids can join to form a Dipeptide
• Many Amino Acids link to form a Polypeptide chain
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Monomer of Protein = Amino Acid (Peptide)
Dimer of Protein = Dipeptide
Polymer of Protein = Polypeptide
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Nucleic Acids
Nucleotides
• Monomers of Nucleic Acids
• a Phosphate Group, a Sugar, a Nitrogenous Base
Macromolecules
Monomer of Nucleic Acids = Nucleotide
Polymer of Nucleic Acids = DNA or RNA
November 5 — 9, 2012
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Functions of Nucleic Acids
•Storage of Genetic Information
•Heredity – Passage of Genetic Info. through Progeny
DNA vs. RNA
• DNA stores the information
• RNA leads to the presentation of the information
• DNA is usually double stranded
• RNA is single stranded
• DNA has bases: A, T, G, C
• RNA has bases: A, U, G, C
Macromolecules
November 5 — 9, 2012
Deoxyribose vs. Ribose
a) RNA nucleotides have the sugar Ribose
• There is an –OH on Carbon #2
b) DNA nucleotide has the sugar Deoxyribose (without oxygen)
• There is an –H on Carbon #2