introduction to organic macromolecules. what the heck is an organic macromolecule? organic – found...
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INTRODUCTION TO ORGANIC MACROMOLECULES
What the heck is an ORGANIC MACROMOLECULE?
• ORGANIC – found in living things• MACRO – large / big
• All organic molecules are composed mainly of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen with other atoms such as:
• Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Sulfur
Basic organization
• For all macromolecules, there is a basic overall organization
How big is big?
• To give you an idea…
CO2
AMU: 40Glucose (C6H12O6)
AMU: 184
Why study organic macromolecules?
• Can’t understand how something is built without knowing what it’s built out of
• These molecules form the basis of the structure of living things
• FORM AND FUNCTION – this statement refers to the fact that how something is SHAPED will determine what it can DO
Form and Function
NUTRIENT PROCESSING
Organic compounds
• Organic compounds have specific methods of representation
So they look all the same?
• The carbon atoms form the basic backbone of each macromolecule
• If all macromolecules are essentially made up of carbon and hydrogen, what makes each one physically and therefore, chemically different?
What makes them different
• Each macromolecule differs in how long the carbon backbone is, but also, what “additives” there are to the backbone chain
• These functional groups give each macromolecule different characteristics – for example making it more polar and therefore hydrophilic
Functional groups• Hydroxyl groups• Carboxyl groups
• Amino groups and sulfhydryl groups
• Phosphate groupsPhosphate
Major macromolecules that we rely on
• Organisms therefore rely on 4 major classes of organic macrmolecules – all of which are basically a hydrocarbon chain with various functional groups attached to it
Carbohydrates
• These serve many purposes including:
MONOSACCHARIDE
DISACCHARIDE
X 2
Dehydration synthesis
• This is accomplished by the use of enzymes in the human body – it doesn’t occur spontaneously on its own – if it did, think about what would happen every single time you contacted water!
• Therefore, some small bodied animals – kangaroo mouse that lives in the desert – can depend on this anabolic process to provide them with water – they don’t have to rely on exterior water sources
Dehydration Synthesishttp://www.tvdsb.on.ca/westmin/science/sbioac/biochem/condense.htm
Hydrolysis reactions
• (Hydro=water, lysis = split) Hydrolysis reactions are the opposing reaction to dehydration reactions – they add water in order to separate sub-units
Hydrolysis
CARBOHYDRATESMonosaccharides
Glucose
• The most important and basic form of energy used by living things
• Comes in two forms
• http://www.biotopics.co.uk/JmolApplet/alphabetajglucose2.html
Purpose?
• Alpha and beta isomers are necessary for the production of various disaccharides
Disaccharides
Alpha vs. beta linkages
• An alpha linkage
• A beta linkage
Purpose of alpha and beta linkages?
• Alpha linkages are easier to break down by animals
• But beta linkages tend to be “tougher” to break down –
POLYSACCHARIDESGlycogen vs. starch
Cellulose
Chitin
Structural element: chitin
• The animal version of cellulose, chitin is used by anthropods (insects and other shellfish) as an exoskeleton
Fat – or Lipids
• An essential macromolecule used for:
LIPIDS
LIPIDS
• In animals, lipids from the main stores the fat
Oils
Saturated and Unsaturated Fats
• Carbon atoms can form single, double or triple bonds with each other
Saturated and Unsaturated Fats
Liquid vs. solid
Phospholipid
STEROIDS
• Steroids are special lipids that have carbon rings inside of them
Steroids
Wax
• Found mainly in plants, and ofcourse, in some parts of animals (such as the ear)
Wax
DNA and RNA
Structure
• Nucleotides are strung together to form long chains that make up DNA and RNA
Relation • Similar molecules – they are related because RNA
is the working copy of DNA• Think about it this way: DNA cannot leave the
nucleus – it is the main blueprint
Base PairsRNA DNA
Proteins
• Proteins are the “bricks” of organisms
PROTEINSAmino Acids – 20 in
total
Peptide bond
Protein folding
• Proteins are complex – there are 4 levels of organization
Secondary to tertiary structures are created by the folding of proteins on themselves due to the interaction of parts of the amino acid chain with itself
Primary structure
Secondary Structure
Tertiary Structure
Quarternary Structure
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Bonds that make proteins
DNA to RNA to Proteins• Copying DNA to RNA is simple: they both have a 4 letter
“alphabet” – so copying one from another is simple
Codon
DNA and RNA
Basis of Life
DNA RNA PROTEIN