macromolecules

1. Carbon Compounds & Macromolecules
Chapter 2

2. Compound Categories
• All compounds can be classified into 2 broad categories:
• Organic: Compounds containing carbon and hydrogen atoms
• Living
• Inorganic: Compounds that do not contain both carbon and hydrogen atoms
• Non-living

4. Organic Compounds
Most of your body’s molecules are organic compounds (makes sense, since
you’re a living thing, yes?)
• Large carbon compounds are built from building blocks called monomers
• When several monomers join together, they form a polymer
• Once polymers are built up enough, and bonded, they may form macromolecules
Mono = one poly = many macro = big

5. Reactions
• Monomers link to form polymers through condensation reactions.
Monomers join and H2O is released
• Polymers may break down through hydrolysis.
Addition of water breaks the bonds that hold monomers together

6. Four Major Types of Macromolecules

7. Carbohydrates
• Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (CH2O)
• Example: Glucose a C6H12O6
• Monomer = monosaccharides
• Monosaccharides are simple sugars, e.g.
• Glucose
• Galactose
• Fructose
• Disaccharides (di = 2) are two monosaccharides joined by condensation reactions
• Lactose = galactose + glucose
• Sucrose = fructose + glucose
• Polysaccharides: Carbohydrates formed by linking individual sugars into long chains.
• Starch
• Cellulose
• Glycogen

8. Lipids
• Fats, oils, waxes, etc.
• Do not dissolve in water
• Lipids usually serve one of three functions:
• Energy storage
• Structural support in cell membranes (phospholipids)
• Serve as reactants ( starting materials) for metabolic reactions
• Monomers = fatty acids
• Saturated: Solid at room temperature, come from animal products
• Typically associated with circulatory disease
• Unsaturated: Liquid at room temperature, typically oils

9. Proteins
• Composed of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen
(primarily)
• Found in every cell of the body
• Monomers = Amino Acids (FYI: THIS IS REALLY
IMPORTANT)
• 20 different types of amino acids
• Enzymes: Group of proteins that “speed up”
chemical reactions by acting as catalysts
• Made during translation step of protein
synthesis

10. Protein Structure
Functional at this point!! 
**STRUCTURE DETERMINES FUNCTION**

11. Protein Denaturing
• Alteration of the protein’s
shape and thus functions
through the use of
• Heat
• Acids
• Bases
• Salts
• Mechanical agitation
• However, primary
structure is never altered
by denaturing

12. Protein Digestion: Part 1
Figure 6.6

13. Protein Digestion: Part 2
Figure 6.6

14. Protein Digestion: Part 3
Figure 6.6

15. Protein Digestion: Part 4
Figure 6.6

16. Protein Bars and Shakes?
• Are marketed as convenient
and portable
• Can be
• High in saturated fat and/or
sugar
• Low in fiber
• Expensive
• A peanut butter sandwich is
portable and lower in
saturated fat and sugar and
higher in fiber than some
protein bars

17. PEM
• Protein-energy malnutrition
(PEM)
• Protein is used for energy
rather than its other functions
in the body
• Other important nutrients are
in short supply
• More prevalent in infants and
children
• 17,000 children die each day as a
result

18. Nucleic Acids
• The monomer (building block) of DNA and RNA is the
Nucleotide
Nucleotides consist of:
1. Nitrogenous Base
2. 5-carbon sugar
3. Phosphate group
• DNA and RNA are
polymers called
polynucleotides

19. Types of Nucleic Acids
• DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid
• Stores genetic info inside nucleus of cells
• RNA: Ribonucleic Acid
• Stores instructions for protein synthesis
• ATP: Adenosine Triphosphate
• Major energy molecule in cellular respiration