1. Intro to Biological Molecules Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids

2. Types of Biological Molecules 1. Many biological molecules are polymers A. polymers are long chains or branching chains based on repeating subunits (monomers)  example: proteins (the polymer) are made from amino acids (the monomers)  example: nucleic acids (the polymer) are made from nucleotides (the monomers

3. Types of Biological Molecules PolymerMonomer ProteinAmino Acids Nucleic AcidsNucleotides Carbohydratesmonosaccharides

4. Types of Biological Molecules B. very large polymers (hundreds of subunits or more) are called macromolecules C. polymers are degraded into monomers by hydrolysis (“break with water”)  typically requires an enzyme to occur at a decent rate  hydrogen from water is attached to one monomer, and a hydroxyl from water is attached to the other

5. Types of Biological Molecules  Hydrolysis/Degradation: H-mono-mono-OH  H-mono-OH + H-mono-OH H2OH2O

6. Types of Biological Molecules D. monomers are covalently linked to form polymers by condensation/dehydration  also typically requires an enzyme to occur at a decent rate  typically the equivalent of a water molecule is removed (dehydration synthesis)

7.  Condensation/Dehydration Synthesis Reaction: H-Mono-OH + H-Mono-OH  H-mono-mono-OH H2OH2O

8. Types of Biological Molecules 2. The four major classes of biologically important organic molecules are:  carbohydrates  lipids  proteins or polypeptides (and related compounds)  nucleic acids (and related compounds)