Macromolecules

Life: Small Picture to Big Picture Macromolecules

What are Macromolecules? Cells and their organelles are made up of smaller building blocks called macromolecules. There are 4 basic types of macromolecules. They are: Lipids Proteins Carbohydrates Nucleic Acids

Monomers & Polymers Macromolecules are actually made up of even smaller subunits. Each subunit of a macromolecule is called a monomer. The macromolecules themselves are called polymers, because they are made up of many of these subunits. Monomer: one basic unit or subunit Polymer: a chain of many basic units

Macromolecules Large organic molecules. Also called POLYMERS. Made up of smaller “building blocks” called MONOMERS. Monomers combine to form polymers through a process called POLYMERIZATION

How are Macromolecules Formed?: Dehydration Synthesis Also called “condensation reaction” Forms polymers by combining monomers by “removing water”. HO H H2O HO H

How are Macromolecules Separated or Digested? Hydrolysis Separates monomers by “adding water” HO H H2O HO H

What you need to know: Names of the 4 macromolecules Structure- monomers and polymers of each Function- what are they used for? Food sources- what foods will you find these in? Indicator Tests- what tests do we use to find out if a food contains them?

Lipids

Lipids: Structure Lipids are made up of… Monomer (basic unit): fatty acids Polymer (chain of units): lipids Specific examples: triglycerides, phospholipids

Lipids: Structure* Properties of Lipids caused by: Saturated vs. Unsaturated fatty acids Polar head and nonpolar tail regions Hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions

Lipids: Function Make up the cell membrane, providing cell structure Provide insulation (fat keeps body warm) Long-term energy storage

Lipids: Food Sources As you might have guessed, fatty foods contain lipids. Lipids are found in meat and fish, oils, avacados, eggs & nuts.

Lipids: Indicator Test Paper Bag Test: Smear substance onto paper bag If see-thru, it contains lipids

Proteins

Proteins: Structure Proteins are made up of… Monomer (basic unit): amino acids 20 different kinds!* Polymer (chain of units): protein More specifically- polypeptides dipeptide Amino acids linked by peptide bonds

Proteins: Structure* 20 Amino Acids: Some of these are polar & hydrophilic, others are non-polar and hydrophobic. Proteins can contain both kinds.

Proteins: Structure Proteins have complex structures. The shape of a protein determines its function! The levels of protein structure are: Primary structure: polypeptide chain Secondary structure: polypeptides in coils or sheets Tertiary structure: coils or sheets form a tangle Quaternary structure: more than one tangle combine to make a very complex protein!

Proteins: Function Build and repair muscle and tissues “No pain, no gain!” Enzymes- proteins that speed up chemical reactions

Proteins: Food Sources Proteins are found in meat, fish, legumes, nuts, milk, eggs, grains and soy products. There are 6 amino acids that our bodies cannot make- we can only get these from food.

Proteins: Indicator Test Biuret’s Solution: Turns from blue to purple if protein is present

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates: Structure Carbohydrates are made up of… Monomer (basic unit): simple sugars (or monosaccharides) Ex.: glucose Polymer (chain of units): complex carbohydrates (or polysaccharides) Ex.: starch, cellulose, chitin, glycogen Disaccharide: 2 simple sugars bonded together

Carbohydrates: Function Provide body with energy! What should you eat before playing the big game? Candy bar or pasta? Candy bar: contains simple sugars, provides a short burst of energy Pasta: contains starch which takes longer to break down, provides longer-lasting energy *We can’t digest cellulose- it is used as fiber, or roughage instead. Ex. : corn Complex carb (ex. Starch) Broken down to disaccharides Broken down further Simple sugars (ex. Glucose)

Carbohydrates: Food Sources Simple carbs (simple sugars) are found in most candy and sweet drinks, fruit, vegetables, and milk. They are quickly digested and give a short burst of energy. Complex carbs (like starches) are found in pasta, bread, potatoes, legumes & corn. They take longer to digest, and provide energy longer.

Carbohydrates: Indicator Tests Simple Sugars: Benedict’s solution Blue solution turns orange/green/brown Complex Carbs: Lugol’s solution/Iodine Turns from orange-red-brown to black-purple

Nucleic Acids

Nucleic Acids: Structure Nucleic Acids are made up of… Monomers (basic unit): nucleotides Polymers (chain of units): DNA or RNA

Nucleic Acids: Function Stores and carries genetic information

Nucleic Acids: Food Sources We get nucleic acid components from vitamins and minerals in our diet. These in turn, come from fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, & almost anything else you can think of with some nutritional value (no junk food!).

Nucleic Acids: Indicator Test You will not be using an indicator test for these but in case you’re wondering… Dische diphenylamine test Turns from clear-light blue to dark blue if nucleic acids are present

Digestion & Reconstruction When macromolecules are eaten, they are digested and broken down into their subunits (monomers). Analogy: taking apart an old brick building Inside the cells, these subunits are reconstructed into the macromolecules we need. Analogy: using bricks to build a new building

Digestion Products Macromolecule eaten: Broken down in stomach to: Carbohydrates Simple sugars (i.e. glucose) Lipids Fatty acids & glycerol (glycerol further broken down to glucose) Proteins Amino acids Nucleic Acids Nucleotides

Homework Read Chapter 2.3 (p. 44 - 48) and create flashcards for the following terms. Some terms may be found in the Elements and Macromolecules Coloring W.S. or this lecture’s PowerPoint. Monomer 9. Nucleotide 17. Substrate Polymer 10. Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) 18. Active Site Carbohydrate 11. Hydrolysis 19. Catalyst Monosaccharide 12. Protein 20. Peptide Bond Disaccharide 13. Amino Acid 21. Enzymes Polysaccharide 14. Macromolecule 22. Saturated Fats Lipid 15. Lugol’s Solution (Iodine) 23. Unsaturated Fats Benedict’s 16. Biuret’s Solution 24. Deoxyribonucleic Solution Acid (DNA) 25. Polymerization