Biomolecules
An Introduction to
how life works…
What are biomolecules?
• A biomolecule is defined as –
Any organic (contains carbon)
molecule that is produced by a living
organism
• Biomolecules carry out a wide range
of activities and processes within
cells and organisms that are both a
reflection and cause of the diversity
of life we see today.
What are biomolecules?
• There are four main types of
biomolecules we will study.
• These are carbohydrates, lipids,
proteins, and nucleic acids.
• Each type performs a different role
in organisms and all are vital.
What are biomolecules?
• Carbohydrates – A
compound (Cm(H2O)n) that
is made only of carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen.
• In our food, we refer to
foods that have high
concentrations of starch or
sugar as carbohydrates.
• Examples: bread, pasta,
cereal, candy, jam, etc.
What are biomolecules?
• Lipids - A broad group of molecules
which include fats, waxes, several
vitamins (A, D, E, & K).
• Uses include energy storage,
making the structure of cell
membranes and cellular signaling.
What are biomolecules?
•
Proteins - A large molecule
composed of one or more chains of
amino acids in a specific order
determined by DNA coding for the
protein
Proteins are required for the body's cells,
tissues, and organs. Proteins have unique
functions and are essential components of
muscles, skin, bones and the entire body.
• Proteins include whole classes of
important molecules such as
enzymes, hormones, and
antibodies.
What are biomolecules?
• Nucleic Acids - A macromolecule
(large molecule) that carries
genetic information or forms
structures within cells. (DNA &
RNA)
• The largest single molecules
known to man.
• DNA & RNA are
found in all living
organisms and
viruses.
Biomolecule Nomenclature
Molecules can be broken down into two
categories, monomers and polymers.
Mono means “one” and poly means “many”.
Meros (Greek) means “part.”
We will identify whether a molecule is a
monomer or a polymer throughout this
unit.
Monomer
Polymer
Which is which?
Carbohydrates
Carbs you know (and love)…
Sugar
Starch
Breads
Sweets
Non-Green
“Veggies”
Baked
Goods
Carbohydrates
How can all these things be
carbohydrates?
A carbohydrate is any molecule that is
made of only carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen. They have the chemical
formula Cm(H2O)n.
They are carbo (carbon)
hydrates (water added).
Example:
Glucose (sugar)… C6H12O6
Write “Glucose” on the arrow
pointing at the diagram.
Carbohydrates
Sugars are used in cellular respiration
(energy creation) by all aerobic
organisms.
Glucose is broken down and turned into
ATP that gives cells the energy they
need.
BUT… Carbohydrates aren’t always
sugary…
Some organisms store sugar as starch…
which isn’t sweet.
Carbohydrates
Starch is the carbohydrate plants use to store extra
sugar (energy).
Starches take up less room than sugars because they
are chemically linked together in tight chains, linked
carbohydrates are referred to as polysaccharides.
Write “Starch” on the arrow pointing at the diagram.
Plants like potatoes (tubers) make starch to use for
the next season’s growth.
Organisms break starch bonds between sugar
molecules to release the sugars, which are
monosaccharides.
Carbohydrates
Even though starchy foods do not taste
sweet, once starch is in the body, the
starch is quickly converted to pure sugar
by digestion processes.
This is why people with diabetes must be
careful when eating breads, potatoes
and other starches. Their blood sugar
levels will spike quickly.
Sugar and carbohydrates on a nutrition
label will both turn into the same thing…
Sugar.
Carbohydrates
Which food would increase your blood
sugar more?
Don’t look at sugar… all carbs turn into
sugar… look at Total Carbohydrates.
Lipids
Gotta love lipids… (maybe)
Lipids you know…
Olive Oil
Beeswax
Vitamins
Oils
Waxes
Vitamins
Write “Lipid” on the arrow pointing
at the diagram.
Lipids
Different forms of lipids perform many
different functions within organisms.
The main functions of lipids are to build
cell membranes, carry signals through
the cell, and store energy for an
organism.
The body produces many types of lipids,
but others can only be obtained through
food.
Lipids
Lipids in cell membranes
Glycerophospholipids make up cell membranes in
animals.
Because lipids do not
mix with water, they
form two layers on
top of each other that
keeps water either
inside or outside of a
membrane.
Lipid membranes
(called lipid
bilayers) help maintain homeostasis in organisms.
Lipids
Lipids also help transmit signals within
cells.
Several lipids regulate calcium
concentration (bone growth), hormone
levels (estrogen and testosterone), and
the immune system.
Messenger lipid imbalances can
cause severe health issues for
humans.
Lipids
The lipid most commonly consumed in
animal diets are the triglycerides.
Triglycerides are important energy storage
molecules in organisms. When broken
down, they produce more than twice the
energy of carbohydrates or proteins.
Alton Brown from
Good Eats on
oils.
Lipids
We consume triglycerides in vegetable oils and
animal fats. When we talk about oils, we use
the terms saturated, monounsaturated, and
polyunsaturated to say how the oils are
assembled.
Write “Triglyceride”
on the arrow pointing
at the diagram.
Triglycerides are stored in adipose tissue (fatty
tissue). These cells are designed to
constantly make and break down
triglycerides.
Lipids
Adipose tissue… Yum…
This is what you are
eating when you eat
the fat on a steak or
piece of chicken.
The body produces
adipocytes to store
triglycerides because
they store huge amounts of energy…
so it takes huge amounts of effort to
get rid of them.
Lipids
Lipids also do great things as well.
They make hair shiny, prevent hair loss, help
wounds heal, and many other very beneficial
things.
Lipids DO NOT make you fat. Eating too many
calories makes you fat. (your body will make
triglycerides with extra calories)
Carbohydrates and Proteins produce 4 k/cal per
gram and Lipids produce 9 k/cal per gram.
You will get just as fat eating 4,000 calories a day
of broccoli as you would from eating 4,000
calories a day of ice cream.
(that’s a lot of broccoli… 26 lbs)
Lipids
I quote the following…
The Nutrition Source, a website maintained by the
Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School
of Public Health, summarizes the current
evidence on the impact of dietary fat: "Detailed
research—much of it done at Harvard—shows
that the total amount of fat in the diet isn't really
linked with weight or disease."
Sooo…
Go eat a double cheeseburger…
and love it…
mmMMMMm……… Lipids…
Also starch and proteins… I guess…
Proteins
Some foods have lots of proteins
and you didn’t even know it...
Proteins you know…
Steak
Eggs & Milk
All Meats
Animal
Products
Red Beans
& Rice
Legumes, Grains,
and Nuts
Proteins
Proteins are some of the most vital
components of life.
Proteins provide the building blocks for
many types of molecules that make
blood, skin, cartilage, muscles and
bones, hormones and enzymes .
Aside from water, proteins are the most
plentiful substance in the body1.
Proteins
Proteins are, like lipids and carbohydrates,
a large group of different molecules.
Proteins are made from
polypeptides(polymer), which are amino
acids (monomer) joined together by
peptide bonds. The prefix “poly” means
many.
Peptide Bond
Peptide:
Proteins
When you consume proteins, the acid in
your stomach breaks the protein apart so
that your body can use the amino acids
for other purposes.
These amino acids combine to make other
molecules or proteins for skin, blood,
muscles, bones, and hormones.
Human bodies can only make some of the
amino acids we need from scratch, we
get the rest by eating animals or plants.
Proteins
One example of an amino acid is Glycene
Glycene tastes sweet
and is used by the
body to make proteins
and also to regulate
nerve activity.
It is found in protein
drinks and high protein
processed foods.
Proteins
Proteins are unique because their
structures allow them to form very
unique molecular shapes.
There are two primary types of protein
shapes: Globular & Fibrous
Globular proteins are shaped like a big
balled up net, while Fibrous proteins are
like ropes.
Proteins
Globular Proteins:
Albumin helps to stabilize blood and keeps the
liver from removing some compounds from
the blood (like drugs).
Albumin is the main
protein in an egg
white that helps keep
baked foods together.
Proteins
Fibrous Proteins:
Collagen holds Jell-O together. It is the same
stuff that gets put in your lips during plastic
surgery… (Think it’s cherry flavored?)
Fibrous proteins give body tissues structure.
Fibrous Proteins make
your tendons, muscle
fibers, and that nasty
“gristle” stuff that feels
and tastes like rubber
in your steak.
Nucleic Acids
Dear lord…
what is a nucleic acid?
Is it a nuclear?
Is it an acid?
Nucleic Acid
The short answer is…
It is not nuclear (it was discovered in
a nucleus), but it is an acid… just
not that kind.
To qualify as an acid (acidic) a
substance can donate protons or
accept electrons (sorta).
Don’t get confused by the acid part…
that just has to do with how the
compounds react.
Nucleic Acid
Nucleic acids were first discovered in
the nucleus of eukaryotic cells
(hence the name).
We now know that nucleic acids
(DNA & RNA) are in all organisms
including bacteria, archea,
mitochondria, chloroplasts, and
viruses.
Nucleic Acid
The scientific name for
nucleic acids are
polynucleotides (many
nucleotides). The basic
unit of the nucleic acid is
the nucleotide. Each
nucleic acid is made of a
chain of nucleotides.
Each nucleotide is made of
a pentose sugar (sugar
with five points), a
phosphate, and a
nitrogen base.
Nucleic Acid
Key Terms – Pentose Sugar
Phosphate
Base
Ribose
Deoxyribose
The D & R before the NA (in DNA and RNA) tells you
whether there is oxygen on the pentose ring.
Nucleic Acid
DNA & RNA have a very important function
in biology.
They provide the blueprints to make other
molecules that make life work.
For example, RNA provides the correct
sequences for molecules like proteins to
be assembled in the correct order.
The amazing complexity of biological
molecules is reliant upon the even more
complicated nucleic acids.
Nucleic Acid
When good nucleic acids go bad…
When DNA errors are not fixed by the body,
we get diseases like cancer or physical
deformities.
Even very slight changes in DNA can have
drastic consequences. Slight changes in
DNA (genetic code) have resulted in
evolution and creation of new species.
The genetic difference between humans
and chimpanzees is less than 2%1.
Biomolecules
Life… It’s all about
chemistry…