Chapter 5 ( Macromolecules) Concepts
1.) List the 4 major classes of macromolecules and identify their general characteristics.
1. Carbohydrates a. Sugars b. Composed of C:H:O in a 1:2:1 ratio c. Possess carbonyl groups either as aldehydes or ketons
2. Lipids a. Fats, phospholipids and steroids b. Composed mostly of carbon and hydrogen with some oxygen; phospholipids have phosphate groups
3. Nucleic acids a. DNA or RNA b. Monomers are nucleotides which are made of a 5 carbon sugar, phosphate group and nitrogenous base c. DNA contains genetic information d. RNA allows that information to be translated into proteins.
4. Proteins a. Made of amino acids b. Amino acids joined together with peptide bonds creating primary structure. c. Further bonds between amino acids in chain create secondary and tertiary structure important to create 3D structure (conformation) that is necessary for protein to work properly.
2.) Describe what occurs during a general condensation (dehydration) and hydrolysis reaction in the formation and breakdown of polymers.
Condensation Reaction or Dehydration Synthesis:
Joining of monomers involves one partner losing a –OH group and the other losing a H atom. These join to create a water molecule. Monomers then bond together.
Hydrolysis:
Breaking apart of polymers into smaller monomers. Water molecule is added and broken up so that the –OH group goes to one monomer and the
H atom to the other.
3.) Name the specific monomers in each class of macromolecule and the name of the bonds between them when polymers are formed.
1. Carbohydrates
Monomers: monosaccharides
Bond: glycosidic linkages
2. Lipids
Monomer: Only macromolecule without clear monomer

Bond: Hydrocarbon chains attached to glycerol molecule by ester linkages
3. Nucleic acids
Monomers: nucleotides
Bond: phosphodiester between sugar and phosphates, hydrogen between 2 strands
4. Proteins
Monomers: amino acids
Bond: peptide
4.) Distinguish between mono-, di- and poly-saccharides.
Monomers of carbohydrates are monosaccharides. Dissaccharides are 2 monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic linkage. Polysaccharides are long chains of more than 3 monosaccharides each linked by glycosidic linkage.
5.) Describe the structure of fats, phospholipids and steroids.
1. Fats: 3 hydrophobic hydrocarbon fatty acid chains attached to glycerol
2. Phospholipids: amphipathic with two hydrophobic fatty acids tails attached
to glycerol and hydrophilic phosphate head
3. Steroids: 4 fused carbon ring structures with various attached functional
groups.
6.) Distinguish between saturated and unsaturated fats.
Saturated: no double bonds between hydrogens and carbons in fatty acids.
Makes fats more solid at room temperature.
Unsaturated: double bonds present in fatty acids. Makes fats more liquid at room temperature.
7.) List and describe the major components of all amino acids. Explain how amino acids differ due to the chemical properties of their R groups.
Each 20 amino acids have a carboxyl group and an amino group. Each has a unique side chain or R group. The R group can have non-polar, polar or electrically charged qualities.
8.) Discuss what determines the 4 levels of protein structure.
Primary: The correct linear order of the amino acid.
Secondary: Hydrogen bonds along the polypeptide backbone creating structures such as alpha helixes and pleated sheets
Tertiary: Bonding between R groups further creating 3D shape of protein

Quanternary: Protein structure gained from aggregation of multple polypeptide subunits
9.) List conditions under which proteins may be denatured.
Extreme high temperatures and other environmental conditions such as variations in pH or salinity. Every protein has optimal environmental conditions that promotes its proper conformation.
10.) List the major components of a nucleotide and describe how these monomers are linked to form a nucleic acid.
Nucleotides: 1.) 5 carbon sugar (pentose)
2.) phosphate group
3.) nitrogenous base (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, uracil)
Phosphodiester bonds between sugars and phosphate group forms backbone, nitrogenous bases stick out from sugar.
11.) Briefly describe the 3-D structure of DNA including the base pair rules.
DNA is double stranded and the base pair rules are that adenine (purine) always pairs with thymine (pyrimidine) and cytosine (pyridmidine) always pairs with guanine (purine).
12.) Compare and contrast RNA and DNA.
DNA: Double stranded
Has Thymine,no uracil
Present only in nucleus
Has deoxyribose as sugar
RNA: Single stranded
Has Uracil and no thymine
Present in both nucleus and cytoplasm
Has ribose as sugar