Macromolecules Basics

1. MACROMOLECULES
Notes Booklet

2. VOCABULARY
•Record the following
terms on back of your
notes flip booklet

3. MONOMER
• A small molecule that can combine
with other molecules to form polymers
• A single subunit
• A building block of polymers

4. POLYMER
• A large molecule that consists of repeating,
linked subunits called monomers
• Macromolecules

5. FUNCTIONAL GROUP
• Clusters or groups of atoms that occur
together within larger molecules
• Influence the properties of the larger
molecules of which they are a part
• Active in chemical reactions
• Table of functional groups (4 examples)

6. KEY CHEMICAL REACTIONS OF BIOMOLECULES
1.Dehydration Synthesis
• Monomers are connected by this
reaction in which two molecules are
covalently bonded to each other through
the loss of a water molecule.
• Each monomer contributes part of the
water:
-OH + -H
aka. Condensation

7. KEY CHEMICAL REACTIONS OF BIOMOLECULES
2.Hydrolysis
• Molecules made of 2 or more
monomers are broken apart by the
addition of water.
• “hydro” = water
• “lysis” = to split
• “hydrolysis” = to split with water

8. MACROMOLECULES BASICS
•Record the following
information on the
FRONT panels of your
notes booklet.

9. • Subunits: monosaccharides
• Elements present: C, H, O with
the ratio of H:O ≈ 2:1 (H2O)
• Examples:
• simple sugars (glucose,
fructose, sucrose)
• Starch
• Cellulose
• Disaccharides,
polysaccharides
• Functions in the body:
• Energy source (fuel)
• Structure (building
material)
• Cell membrane
receptors
(glycoproteins)
GROUP I: CARBOHYDRATES

10. • Subunits: glycerol, fatty acids,
sterols
• Elements present: C, H, O with the
ratio of H : O > 2:1 (much, much
more H than O!); sometimes P
• Examples:
• phospholipids, fats (saturated,
unsaturated), waxes, oils,
steroids, some pigments
• Monoglycerides, diglycerides,
triglycerides
• Functions in the body:
• Energy source (fuel)
• Store energy
• Structural
• Protection
• Cell signaling
GROUP II: LIPIDS

11. • Subunits: amino acids
• Elements present: C, H, O, N
(sometimes S)
• Examples:
• Peptides, dipeptides,
polypeptides
• Enzymes
• Hemoglobin
• 21 amino acids in the body
• Functions in the body:
• Speed up chemical
reactions,
• Support
• Transport
• Communication
• Movement
• Protection
GROUP III: PROTEINS

12. • Subunits: nucleotides
• Elements present: C, H, O, N, P
• Examples:
• DNA
• RNA: mRNA, rRNA, tRNA
• Functions in the body:
• Store and transmit
information
• Genetic information
• Genetic code
GROUP IV: NUCLEIC ACIDS

13. MACROMOLECULES DETAILS
•Record the following
notes INSIDE your notes
booklet under the
appropriate flap.

14. CARBOHYDRATES
1.Biological Importance
• Very abundant in nature
• Photosynthesis directly produces glucose
• Chemosynthesis produces carbohydrates
• Cellulose = structural component of plant
cell walls; is the most abundant biomolecule
on Earth

15. CARBOHYDRATES, CON’T
• Carbohydrates make up the cell walls of many
diverse organisms
• Ex: bacteria, fungi, algae
• Arthropod exoskeletons = chitin
• Chemical receptors = cell communication
2. Primary Dietary Sources
• Plant-based

16. LIPIDS
1. Biological Importance
• Most important trait = lipids do not mix well
with water
• Cells would not exist without lipids
• Phosophlipid bilayer = cell membranes
• Energy storage
• Like gasoline molecules
• Twice as energy-rich as carbohydrates
• Long-term energy reserves

17. LIPIDS, CON’T
• Steroids
• Chemical communication and regulation
• Cholesterol helps maintain the structure &
function of animal cell membranes
2. Dietary Sources
• Plant-based: unsaturated fats
• Animal-based: saturated fats

18. PROTEINS
1. Biological Importance
• Nearly every dynamic function of a living thing
depends on proteins
• From the Greek word proteios, meaning “first
place”
• Make up more than 50% of the dry mass of
most cells
• Instrumental in almost everything organisms
do

19. PROTEINS, CON’T
• Chemical reactions, structural support, storage,
transport, communication, movement, defense
mechanisms
• Life would not be possible without enzymes
• Proteins are the most structurally sophisticated
molecules known.
2. Dietary sources
• Plant-based
• Animal-based

20. NUCLEIC ACIDS
1. Biological Importance
• Enable living organisms to reproduce their
complex components from one generation to the
next.
• Store and transmit hereditary information
• Encoded in DNA is the information that
programs all of a cell’s activities
• Determines the amino acid sequence of
proteins

21. NUCLEIC ACIDS, CON’T
• Interestingly, DNA is not directly involved in running the
operations of a cell
• Analogy = computer software vs. hardware
• Tape Measures of Evolution
• Linear sequences of nucleotides in DNA are passed
from parent to offspring.
• Compare sequences among living things to determine
relatedness and change over time
2. Dietary sources
• From any living thing!

22. HIGH-ENERGY MOLECULES: ATP
• (These go on the flap page that was added to the nucleic acids flap of the notes booklet.)
• ATP = adenosine triphosphate
• Subunits = nucleotides
• An important source of energy for cellular
processes.
• When ATP reacts with water, energy is
released.
• Hydrolysis of ATP (phosphate group
removed)
• Cells use THAT energy to do work!

23. ADDITIONAL NOTES
•Record the following
notes on lined paper in
notes section of binder.
Can be added to the notes
pages with the cut-out or
foldable macromolecule
models.

24. EMERGENT PROPERTIES IN THE CHEMISTRY OF LIFE
• Life is organized along a
hierarchy of structural and
functional levels.
•With each new level, new
properties emerge.

25. EMERGENT PROPERTIES IN THE CHEMISTRY OF LIFE
Atoms have
unique
properties
When atoms
combine to form
compounds, the
compounds
have new and
unique
properties
different from
their parts.
Functional
groups within
molecules give
rise to unique
properties of
those larger
molecules.

26. EMERGENT PROPERTIES IN THE CHEMISTRY OF LIFE
Monomers have
unique
properties.
When monomers
combine to form
polymers, the
polymers have
new and unique
properties
different from
their individual
monomers.
Macromolecules
assemble and
work together to
give rise to
more complex
structures
leading to the
next level of the
hierarchy of life:
CELL
ORGANELLES
AND CELLS.