Lecture on Biological Macromolecules

Overview

• Focus on the four classes of biological macromolecules:
  • Carbohydrates
  • Lipids
  • Proteins
  • Nucleic Acids
• Discussion includes structure and role in living organisms.

Biological Macromolecules

1. Carbohydrates

• Structure: Composed of glucose rings.
• Role: Energy storage, structural components.

2. Lipids

• Structure: Made of glycerol and fatty acids.
• Role: Energy storage, cell membrane structure.

3. Proteins

• Structure: Made from amino acid subunits.
• Role: Enzymatic activity, structural components.

4. Nucleic Acids

• Structure: Made of nucleotides.
• Role: Genetic information storage and transfer.

Formation of Macromolecules

• Monomers: Building blocks, e.g., amino acids, glucose.
• Polymerization: Process of linking monomers to form polymers.
• Condensation Reactions (Dehydration Reactions):
  • Link monomers by removing a water molecule.
  • Forms new bonds between monomers.
• Hydrolysis:
  • Reverse of dehydration reaction.
  • Adds water to break polymers into monomers.

Enzymes in Macromolecule Formation

• Enzymes facilitate both dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis.
• Enzymes orient atoms to enable reactions:
  • Polymerase: Enzyme that aids in polymer formation.
  • Hydrolase: Enzyme that aids in breaking down polymers.

Importance of Macromolecules

• Diversity from a limited set of monomers:
  • Proteins: 20 amino acids used to create thousands of proteins.
  • DNA: Built from four nucleotides, diversity from sequencing.
• Universal monomer usage across organisms.

Key Points

• Macromolecules are essential for life, providing structure, function, and information storage.
• Formed through processes that involve enzymes and chemical reactions.
• Understanding macromolecules is crucial for comprehending biological processes.