Bio 201 - Building Blocks & Macromolecules

Subunit - Macromolecule: Carbohydrates

sugars - monosaccharides (glucose, fructose)

Intermediate molecule - Macromolecule: Carbohydrates

oligosaccharides

Polymer - Macromolecule: Carbohydrates

polysaccharides - glycogen (animals), starch (plants)

Covalent bond - Macromolecule: Carbohydrates

glycosidic bond

Polarity (distinct ends) - Macromolecule: Carbohydrates

polar (but not directional polarity)

Importance/Function - Macromolecule: Carbohydrates

-sources of stored energy

-can transport chemical energy (energy in covalent bonds)

-carbon skeletons for many other molecules (some amino acids are synthesized from carbon skeletons derived from glucose)

Structure - Macromolecule: Carbohydrates

-contains, C, H, and O

-formula (of monomers): (C₁H₂O₁)ₙ *where n can be 3, 4, 5, or 6

-take on a ring structure in aqueous solution

-glucose: C₆H₁₂O₆ (a subunit of both glycogen and starch)

Polymerization of Sugars (Monosaccharides) - Macromolecule: Carbohydrates

-monosaccharides can combine (glycosidic bond) to form disaccharides through condensation reactions -> water is lost

-polymerization can continue to form oligosaccharides and polysaccharides

-reaction is reversible -> hydrolysis reactions break glycosidic bonds and use water

Subunit - Macromolecule: Proteins

amino acids

Intermediate molecule - Macromolecule: Proteins

peptides

Polymer - Macromolecule: Proteins

proteins

Covalent Bond - Macromolecule: Proteins

peptide linkages/bonds

Polarity (distinct ends) - Macromolecule: Proteins

directional polarity (N vs C terminus)

Importance/Function - Macromolecule: Proteins

muscle contraction

Structure - Macromolecule: Proteins

-5 components:

1) Central Carbon

2) Amino group (H₃N⁺)

3) Carboxyl group (COO⁻)

4) Single Hydrogen

5) "R" group (makes the amino acids differ, 20 "R" groups -> 20 different amino acids, attached to the Central Carbon)

Polymerization of Amino Acids - Macromolecule: Proteins

↳ amino acids join together through the formation of peptide linkages/bonds that links the C (from the carboxyl group) and N (from the amino group)

↳ resulting polymer is read from N terminus -> C terminus

↳ when a peptide bond is broken, the monomers to the right of the bond are released (dimers, etc.)

Polypeptides (proteins) extra notes

↳ the # of "R" groups determines the # of

amino acids

↳covalent bonds surrounding the Central Carbon are flexible, allowing the chain to twist

Subunit - Macromolecule: Nucleic Acids

nucleotides

Intermediate Molecule - Macromolecule: Nucleic Acids

oligonucleotides

Polymer - Macromolecule: Nucleic Acids

DNA & RNA (nucleic acids)

Covalent Bond - Macromolecule: Nucleic Acids

phosphodiester bonds

Polarity (distinct ends) - Macromolecule: Nucleic Acids

directional polarity (5' end and 3' end)

Importance/Function - Macromolecule: Nucleic Acids

carry genetic information in the sequence of its nucleotides

Structure - Macromolecule: Nucleic Acids

-3 components:

↳ nitrogen base (differs, names the nucleotide (ex: ATP))

↳ phosphate group

↳ Sugar (5C)

Nitrogenous Bases Differ in DNA and RNA

↳ thymine - DNA

↳ uracil - RNA

↳ purines (double ring): adenine and guanine

↳ pyrimidines (single ring): cytosine, thymine (DNA), uracil (RNA)

Sugar Group Differs in DNA and RNA

-> ribose - RNA -> C2 bonded with an OH

↳ ribonucleotides

->deoxyribose - DNA -> C2 bonded with H

↳ deoxyribonucleotides

- (if there is no H or OH shown bonded to C2, the default is H (DNA))

Polymerization of Nucleotides - Macromolecule: Nucleic Acids

↳ nucleotides join together through phosphodiester bonds between the OH group of one nucleotide (C3) and a phosphate group on another (C5)

↳ the C3 loses a hydrogen in a condensation reaction when a nucleotide is added

Subunit - Macromolecule: Fats & Lipids

fatty acids

Intermediate Molecule - Macromolecule: Fats & Lipids

none

Polymer - Macromolecule: Fats & Lipids

fats & membrane lipids

Covalent Bond - Macromolecule: Fats & Lipids

none

Polarity - Macromolecule: Fats & Lipids

non-polar

Importance/Function - Macromolecule: Fats & Lipids

↳make up membranes of the cell (phospholipids) and are stored in the cytosol in droplets (triacylglycerols) as an energy reserve

Structure - Macromolecule: Fats & Lipids

↳ a fatty acid has 2 regions:

1) hydrophobic, hydrocarbon tail

2) hydrophilic, carboxylic acid head (usually covalent attached to head groups)

Phospholipids Make Up Biological Membranes

↳ 2 fatty acid tails are attached to a glycerol and hydrophilic head group

↳ amphipathic nature (hydrophilic and hydrophobic ends) promotes formation of a membrane in aqueous solution

↳ lipids do not form "traditional polymers" - no covalent bonds between adjacent lipid molecules

A Cell is Formed from Carbon Compounds

↳ all molecules are based on carbon which forms highly stable covalent bands

↳ C-C bonds can form the backbone of complex molecules

↳ other chemical groups include: methyl (-CH3), hydroxyl (-OH), carboxyl (-COOH), carbonyl(-C=O), phosphoryl (-P0₃), and amino (-NH₂) groups

↳ cells contain 4 major families of molecules (macromolecules) made of carbon backbones and different chemical groups

4 families of macromolecules

1) carbohydrates (polysaccharides - glycogen and starch)

2) fats and lipids

3) proteins

4) nucleic acids

Macromolecules and Their Subunits

1) carbohydrates (polysaccharides - glycogen and starch) - sugars (monosaccharides)

2) fats and lipids - fatty acids

3) proteins - amino acids

4) nucleic acids - nucleotides

↳ the relationship is reversible - macromolecules can be broken down into their subunits

Condensation vs. Hydrolysis

condensation: the process that forms the macromolecules

↳ requires energy, energetically unfavorable

↳ loses/produces H₂O

hydrolysis: the process that breaks down the macromolecules

↳ loses energy, energetically favorable

↳ gains H₂O

-> applies to carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids

How to remember the elements in Macromolecules (mnemonic):

- Carb - CHO

- Lipid - CHO

- Protein - CHON

- Nucleic Acid - CHONP

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