Biological
Macromolecules
They’re Organic!!!
What’s an organic molecule??

Compounds made up of hydrocarbons


Carbon and Hydrogen atoms!!
Living/once living (YOU are Organic!)

(Not CO2. It’s a gas!!!!!)
There are four classes of biological
macromolecules we will be looking at:
Proteins
First – Let’s
Concentrate
Lipids
on these
Carbohydrates
three!
Nucleic acids (This will be last)
A very, very
large molecule!!
Biological
Macromolecule
All biological macro-molecule are
organic, meaning they all contain
hydrocarbons…Carbon atoms (with
attached Hydrogens!) Other elements
may include Oxygen, Nitrogen,
Phosphorus and Sulfur
Macromolecules
 We’re looking
at
“Mono” means
one
SO… a polymer is
made up of many
monomers!!
Polymer Analogies
EXAMPLE of
POLYMER
MONOMER
Ladder
?
String of Pearls Necklace
?
Answers
EXAMPLE of
POLYMER
Ladder
MONOMER
Necklace
Each Pearl
Each Rung
Can you think of a polymer??
What monomers make it up??
ALL four can be found in food!!
Think about it!!
Look at the label to the
left. 3 of the 4
macromolecules are
labeled!!
(0 grams in this product)
1____________________
(13 grams in this product)
2____________________
(9 grams in this product)
3____________________
On to Our First Biomolecule!!
Carbohydrates!!
Carbohydrates
C, H, O
SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES
They are the main source of energy for the body !
Simple sugars Monosaccharide
Glucose, for example (Yes it IS a monomer!!), is the main
product of photosynthesis!!
C6H12O6
Atoms: C, H, O
COMPLEX CARBOHYDRATES
 Long-term
storage for energy
 Polysaccharides
polymers
 Below
 made up of glucose
is a part of the polymer starch!!
Starch Continued
Found in: Grains (wheat, rice, corn, oats, barley)
Tubers such as potatoes are rich in starch.
Cellulose
** ALSO a glucose
polymer
**Offers the plant
support
** Energy storage
** Makes up cell wall
** Food source for
seeds and plant bulbs
Glycogen in Animals
**A branched
polymer made up of
numerous glucose
monomers
**Long-term energy
storage found in the
liver
** Quickly broken
down into glucose
for immediate
Complex Carbs and Energy

Starches, Cellulose and Glycogen are broken
down by proteins called enzymes (remember
digestion in lysosomes!!??.....similar concept!)

Broken down into their monomers  Glucose

Glucose is further broken down during cellular
respiration in the mitochondria for energy

About 36 ATP molecules of energy per each
glucose molecule!!!
Lipids
Mostly C,H and some O
STORED ENERGY  Broken down for energy
They INSULATE the body to help maintain normal
body temperature and they
CUSHION the internal organs for protection.
Include waxes, Oils
include steroids such as cholesterol and the sex
hormones estrogen and testosterone
Anabolic steroids build muscle
They waterproof surfaces of animals, plants, and
fruits- these are waxes!
THINK: Waterproof, insulate, steroids, energy,
cushion…
Remember the cell membrane?
 PhosphoLIPID bilayer of the cell membrane? The
fatty acid tails are lipids!
 It’s semi-permeable, allowing only certain
molecules to diffuse across the membrane to
enter or exit the cell.
LIPIDS
Fat Made up of fatty acid monomers –
Glycerides that have a Glycerol Backbone
(Circled) and a Fatty Acid Tail(s)
Mostly C, H with some O
Triglycerides
Glycerol Group with 3 Fatty Acid
Chains
This is a triglyceride molecule
NOW ONTO PROTEINS
They are the major structural molecules in living things for
growth and repair : muscles, ligaments, tendons, bones,
hair, skin, nails…IN FACT ALL CELL MEMBRANES have
protein in them
They make up antibodies in the immune system
They make up enzymes for helping chemical reactions
They makeup non-steriod hormones which
THINK: Proteins= membranes, enzymes, antibodies, nonsteriod hormones, structural molecules, “MEANS”
Proteins
Made up of Mostly C, H, O and
N (Some Sulfur)
Proteins
Proteins
Aside from the protein found in
animal sources…protein can also
be found in fruits, vegetables,
grains, and nuts.
(it just does not have as many amino
acids)
Hair, Skin, and Nails
Microscope View of
Skin and Nails
This is skin
This is a nail
Made up of Amino Acid Monomers!!!
**Remember protein synthesis???? Transcription and
translation?
**A peptide bond bonds amino acids together
**Creates a polypeptide
The shapes of Proteins
Determines it’s Function
Amino
Acids !!!
Ribosomes are Proteins
that are Involved in
Creating Proteins!!
Insulin

Chemical signaler protein produced in the pancreas

Causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up
glucose from blood and convert it to glycogen that can
be stored in the liver and muscles

Diabetes is a condition when a person has high blood glucose
(blood sugar), either because insulin production is inadequate, or
because the body's cells do not respond properly to
insulin, or both.
Hemoglobin

A protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen
**Antibodies are part of the immune system.
**When something enters the body that isn’t supposed to
be there, like certain bacteria, antibodies find the
invader and stick themselves onto it.
**White Blood cells destroy the invaders (hopefully)
Enzymes

Speed up the rate of a chemical reaction (a catalyst) by
lowering the energy needed to begin the reaction (Below)

Re-usable

Molecule specific – like a lock and key

-Example: ONLY Lactase will break down lactose. It
will NEVER break down proteins
Enzymes Lock and Key
Model
Product
Substrate
s
Enzymes

Folded specific to its function…like a lock and key model!
Pepsin
breaks
Lactase
down
breaks down
proteins
lactose
Amylase
breaks down
amylose
Which substrate can be reduced by the enzyme?
Specific Enzyme
Active
Site
Starch
Simple useable
sugars (product)
Protei
n
Lipid
***** Remember That Enzymes are
substrate-specific !!!!!
Enzymes are affected by:
pH Affects Enzyme Reactivity
Rate of Reaction
This enzyme functions in an environment
that has a pH of about 4, which is acidic
123456789
pH
The 4th type is
NUCLEIC ACIDS
The types of Nucleic Acids
DNA (DeoxyriboNucleic Acid)
RNA (RiboNucleic Acid)
**Monomers are called
Nucleotides
“DNA” is short for
Deoxyribonucleic Acid
**Your genetic makeup!!
“DNA” is short for
Ribonucleic Acid
**Works with DNA to create
proteins
RNA
 SingleStranded
 Nitrogen
bases
Adenine (A),
Cytosine (C),
Guanine (G),
Uracil (U)
 Remember NO
Thymine (T)
 Ribose sugar
DNA
 DoubleStranded
double helix
 Nitrogen
bases
Adenine (A),
Cytosine (C),
Guanine (G),
Thymine (T)
 Remember
NO Uracil (U)
 Deoxy-ribose
sugar
Remember How DNA and RNA Molecules are Involved in
Protein Synthesis?? Transcription and Translation?
*DNA
*mRNA
*At ribosome
*tRNA Brings in
Amino Acids
*Amino Acids form
the protein (a
polypeptide)