- Carbon atoms can form chains and complex structures, allowing for the creation of macromolecules in living things. The four main types of macromolecules are carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins. - Carbohydrates and lipids are used to store energy, while nucleic acids store and transmit genetic information in the forms of RNA and DNA. Proteins have a variety of functions including catalyzing reactions, forming structures, and transporting materials. - All macromolecules are polymers formed via polymerization reactions that link smaller monomer units together. They provide structure, energy storage, heredity, and catalysis essential for life.

1. Macromolecules
Biology 1
EHS

2. The Chemistry of Carbon
• Organic chemistry is the study of all
compounds that contain bonds between
carbon atoms.
• A carbon atom can bond to other
carbon atoms, giving it the ability to
form chains that are almost unlimited in
length.

3. – Living organisms are made of molecules
that consist of carbon and other
elements.
– Carbon has the ability to form millions of
different large and complex structures.
– All life on earth is “carbon based”

4. Macromolecules
– Macromolecules are formed by a process
known as polymerization.
– The smaller units, or monomers, join
together to form polymers.
– Monomer – smaller unit
– Polymer – larger unit formed by linking
monomers

5. • Macromolecules
form by linking
pieces like a
chain.

6. – Four groups of organic compounds found
in living things are:
•
•
•
•
carbohydrates
lipids
nucleic acids
proteins

7. Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates
• Carbohydrates are compounds made up of
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, usually
in a ratio of 1 : 2 : 1.
• C:H:O

8. – What is the function of carbohydrates?

9. – Living things use carbohydrates as their
main source of energy.

10. – The breakdown of sugars, such as
glucose, supplies immediate energy for all
cell activities (ATP).
– Living things store extra sugar as complex
carbohydrates known as starches.
– Glucose – the simplest sugar
– Starches – complex sugars

11. – Starches and sugars are carbohydrates
that are used by living things as a source
of energy (ATP).
Starch
Glucose

12. – Monosaccharide – a single sugar (glucose)
– Monosaccharides include glucose, galactose (a
component of milk), and fructose (found in many
fruits).
– The large macromolecules formed from
monosaccharides are called polysaccharides.
– Mono – meaning one
– Poly – meaning many

13. Lipids
• Lipids are generally not soluble in water. (that
means they don’t dissolve)
• Lipids are made mostly from carbon and
hydrogen atoms.

14. • The common categories of lipids are:
• fats
• oils
• waxes
• steroids

15. – What is the function of lipids?

16. – Lipids can be used to store energy. Some
lipids are important parts of biological
membranes and waterproof coverings.

17. – Many lipids are formed when a glycerol molecule
combines with compounds called fatty acids.
– The term saturated is used because the fatty acids
contain the maximum possible number of
hydrogen atoms.

18. – If there is at least one carbon-carbon
double bond in a fatty acid, it is
unsaturated.

20. Nucleic Acids
• Nucleic Acids
• Nucleic acids are macromolecules containing
hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, and
phosphorus.
• Nucleic acids are polymers assembled from
individual monomers known as nucleotides.

21. • Nucleotides consist of three parts:
• a 5-carbon sugar
• a phosphate group
• a nitrogenous base

22. Adenine
Guanine
Cytosine
Thymine
Deoxyribose

24. • What is the function of nucleic acids?

26. –Nucleic acids store and transmit hereditary, or genetic,
information.
–There are two kinds of nucleic acids, ribonucleic
acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
–RNA contains the sugar ribose.
–DNA contains the sugar deoxyribose.

27. Proteins
• Proteins
• Proteins are macromolecules that contain
nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
• Proteins are polymers of molecules called
amino acids.

28. – Amino acids are compounds with an
amino group (-NH2) on one end and a
carboxyl group (-COOH) on the other
end.

31. – The portion of each amino acid that is
different is a side chain called an R-group.

32. – The instructions for arranging amino acids
into many different proteins are stored in
DNA.
Amino
Acids
Protein
Molecule

33. – What is the function of proteins?

34. – Some proteins catalyze (control the rate of)
reactions and regulate cell processes.
• These proteins are called enzymes
– Some proteins are used to form bones and
muscles.
– Other proteins transport substances into or out
of cells or help to fight disease.

35. Enzymes
• Almost all processes in the cell require
enzymes in order to occur at proper
rates.
• Each enzyme is selective for a
particular reaction.
• Enzymes lower activation energy and
increase the rate of reaction.