CELLULAR COMPOUNDS

Macromolecules

A. Overview • Most matter in your body that is not water is made

of organic compounds→Organic compounds contain carbon (C)

CH

H

H

H

→Very large carbon compound molecules (up to thousands of C atoms) necessary for life are polymers of smaller monomers called macromoleculesoMonomer: singular molecule that may join other

monomers to form a polymeroPolymer: substance made up of two or more like

molecules to form a more complex molecule

CCCC C

H

H

H

H

H

HC H

H

H

H

C

H

H

H H

H

C

HH

H H H

H

• Four classes of organic compounds found in living things:→carbohydrates→lipids→proteins→nucleic acids

B. Carbohydrates (4 calories per gram)oComposed of C, H, O in C1H2O1 ratio

♦Simplest kind of carbohydrate is a simple sugar called a monosaccharide–Mono = 1–Di = 2–Tri/poly = 3 or more

HC OHC

H

O

♦ building blocks of simple sugars or monosaccharides such as glucose (C6H12O6) is a major source of energy in cells

Glucose

– common table sugar is glucose joined to fructose to make a disaccharide sucrose

oLargest kind of carbohydrates are called polysaccharides (MANY sugars)

♦ 3 kinds of polysaccharides:– starch: used by plants for energy>potatoes>corn>wheat

– glycogen: used by mammals & stored in liver>60,000 glucose

molecules bound together

– cellulose: made by plants to form cell walls > indigestible in humans (known as fiber)~wood~fruit~cotton

C. Lipids (9 calories per gram)oNonpolar molecule composed of large fatty

acid chains of C with H bonds and few O

CCCC C

H

H

H

O

H

C

H

H

C

H

H

H H

H

C

HH

H H H

HO

C

H

♦Typical fat contains 3 fatty acid chains bonded to a glycerol (glycerin) molecule–Glycerol is a 3-carbon molecule (C3H8O3)

that acts like the backbone holding 3 fatty acids together

Glycerol

oBeneficial for 3 reasons:♦ Energy storage (in bonds between C and H

atoms)♦ Insulation (adipose tissue)♦ Protective coatings (membranes)

H

C

H

HH

H

H

CATP

o 4 major types of lipids:♦ Fats–Vegetable oils (corn, olive)–Animal fat and oils (fish)

♦ Phospholipids–Cell membranes

♦Waxes–Ear wax–Beeswax

♦ Steroids–Testosterone–Estrogen

oAll lipids can be classified in 3 ways:♦Saturated fatty acids = all C single bonds,

solid

♦Unsaturated fatty acids = C-C double bond, liquid♦Monounsaturated (1 double bond)♦Polyunsaturated (>1 double bond)♦Trans fat (1 double bond)

D. Proteins (4 calories per gram)oComprised of C, H, O, N, sometimes SoMade of many amino acids strung

together by peptide bond

O

C

H

S

N

♦ 20 types of amino acids, so are thousands of types of proteins

♦ properties of amino acids determines its shape, pH, folding– some are polar, some are

nonpolar; some are electrically charged, others not

o Specialized proteins have important functions:♦Enzyme promote and speed up chemical

reactions♦Collagen is found in skin, hair, nails, tendons,

bones

♦Antibodies aid in defense against infection♦Hemoglobin carries oxygen from lungs to

body tissues in blood

E. Nucleic acids (0 calories)oComplex biomolecules that stores

information in form of a code; polymers made of smaller subunits called nucleotides♦Nucleotides comprised of C, H, O, N,

and PO

C

H

P

N

o 3 MAJOR COMPONENTS:♦ phosphate♦ Sugar (ribose)♦ Base

o Two types of nucleic acids:♦ DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

–Ribose containing nucleic acid without oxygen

♦ RNA (ribonucleic acid)

–Ribose containing nucleic acid with oxygen

My Macromolecules• What should your macromolecules intake be?

– Nutrition pyramid (2010)• Mypyramid.gov

– My plate (2011)• Choosemyplate.gov

THE END