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

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.

Research Question Which elements are found in lipids????

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.

Research Question Which elements are found in protein????

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) Simple sugars (ex. Glucose) Broken down to disaccharides Broken down further

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.

Research Question Which elements are found in carbohydrates????

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!).

Research Question Which elements are found in nucleic acids????

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: CarbohydratesSimple sugars (i.e. glucose) LipidsFatty acids & glycerol (glycerol further broken down to glucose) ProteinsAmino acids Nucleic AcidsNucleotides