Biochemistry
 Macromolecules!
Carbohydrates
 Lipids
 Proteins
 Nucleic Acids

Regents Biology
Carbon & Organic Molecules
 Compounds that contain CARBON are
called organic.
 Macromolecules are large organic
molecules.
 Carbon has 4 electrons in outer shell
 Carbon can form covalent bonds with as

many as 4 other atoms (elements)
Usually with H, O, N, or C
Regents Biology
Carbohydrates
Regents Biology
CH2OH
H
O
H
OH
H
H
OH
HO
Carbohydrates:
Energy molecules
Regents Biology
2009-2010
H
OH
Carbohydrates
 Building block molecules = sugars
sugar - sugar - sugar - sugar - sugar
sugar sugar sugar sugar sugar sugar sugar sugar
Regents Biology
Carbohydrates
 Function:

Quick energy

Energy storage

Structure
glucose
C6H12O6
 Cell walls
 Exoskeletons
 Examples

Simple sugars

Starches/glycogen

Cellulose/chitin
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sucrose
starch
Sugars = building blocks
 Names for sugars usually end in -ose
glucose
 fructose
 sucrose
 maltose
CH2OH

Regents Biology
H
O
H
OH
H
H
OH
HO
H
OH
glucose
C6H12O6
sucrose
fructose
maltose
Building carbohydrates
 Synthesis
1 sugar =
monosaccharide
|
glucose
|
glucose
mono = one
saccharide = sugar
di = two
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2 sugars =
disaccharide
|
maltose
Building carbohydrates
 Synthesis
1 sugar =
monosaccharide
|
glucose
|
fructose
How sweet
it is!
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2 sugars =
disaccharide
|
sucrose
(table sugar)
Quick review: On your own
1. What’s the chemical formula of
glucose?
2. Name one monosaccharide
3. Name one disaccharide
4. Name one polysaccharide
Regents Biology
BIG carbohydrates
 Polysaccharides

large carbohydrates
 starch
 energy storage in plants

potatoes
 glycogen
 energy storage in animals
poly = many

in liver & muscles
 cellulose
 structure in plants

cell walls
 chitin
 structure in arthropods & fungi
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
exoskeleton
Building BIG carbohydrates
glucose + glucose + glucose… = polysaccharide
starch
(plant)
energy
storage
glycogen
(animal)
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Digesting starch vs. cellulose
starch
easy to
digest
cellulose
hard to
digest
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enzyme
enzyme
Quick Review: With a partner
 What’s the difference between starch
and glycogen as far as humans are
concerned?
Regents Biology
Cellulose
 Cell walls in plants
herbivores can digest cellulose well
 most carnivores cannot digest cellulose

 that’s why they
eat meat
to get their energy
& nutrients
 cellulose = roughage
 stays undigested
 keeps material
moving in your
intestines
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Different Diets of Herbivores
Cow
can digest cellulose well;
no need to eat other sugars
Gorilla
can’t digest cellulose well;
must add another sugar
source, like fruit to diet
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Helpful bacteria
 How can cows digest cellulose so well?

BACTERIA live in their stomachs & help digest
cellulose-rich (grass) meals
Eeeew…
Chewing
cud?
Regents Biology
Quick write: On your own
 Why are carbohydrates necessary to
yours survival?
3 minutes to write
 3-4 sentences.

Regents Biology