Intro to Macromolecules Ms. Bush/Ms. Cohen Biology Fall 2011

What is a biomolecule? A biomolecule is any molecule that is produced by a living organism. Examples include ATP, sugars, pheromones, formic acid, and urea.

What is a macromolecule? A macromolecule is a very large molecule that is commonly created by polymerization. The four main macromolecules are nucleic acids, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates.

Nucleic Acids There are 5 main nucleic acids. Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Uracil Nucleic acids make up deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) DNA and RNA are important information containing molecules in living organisms

Nucleic Acids in DNA Adenine and Thymine Cytosine and Guanine These molecules are held together by hydrogen bonds

Nucleic Acids in RNA In RNA, uracil replaces thymine Adenine and Uracil Cytosine and Guanine Hydrogen bonds hold molecules together Adenine Uracil

Nucleic Acids form Polymers

Proteins Proteins are comprised of 20 different amino acids Many proteins act as enzymes which speed up biochemical reactions like digestion Proteins have complex and specific shapes

Proteins form polymers with complexs structures

lactase

Antibodies are also proteins Antigen Antibodies

Lipids Lipids are long chains of non-polar hydrogen and carbon chains Lipids are also know as fats, waxes, and oils Lipids are important energy and structural molecules

Fun Slide Lipids form membranes that provide structures for cells and other cellular structures They assemble based on the polar and non-polar parts of the molecule Some snake venoms disrupt lipids and cause cells to burst and the organism to die

Carbohydrates Carbohydrates (sugars) are comprised of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon Carbohydrates have many hydroxyl groups Carbohydrates are important energy molecules for living organisms

Carbohydrate Polymers

Fun Slide Bacteria have cell walls that have a layer of sugar molecules linked together This layer is called peptidoglycan. It protects the bacteria from invaders. Many antibiotics target peptidoglycan.