1. Macromolecules

2. Life: Small Picture to Big Picture
Macromolecules

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

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

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

8. 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?

9. Lipids

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

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

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

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

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

15. Proteins

16. 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

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

18. 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!

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

20. 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.

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

22. Carbohydrates

23. 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

24. 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)

25. 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.

26. 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

27. Nucleic Acids

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

29. Nucleic Acids: Function
Stores and carries genetic information

30. 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!).

31. 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

32. 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

33. 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

34. Homework
Read Chapter 2.3 (p ) 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 Substrate
Polymer 10. Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) 18. Active Site
Carbohydrate 11. Hydrolysis Catalyst
Monosaccharide 12. Protein Peptide Bond
Disaccharide 13. Amino Acid Enzymes
Polysaccharide 14. Macromolecule Saturated Fats
Lipid 15. Lugol’s Solution (Iodine) 23. Unsaturated Fats
Benedict’s Biuret’s Solution Deoxyribonucleic Solution Acid (DNA)
25. Polymerization