Organic Molecules

Organic
(Macro)Molecules
Carbon Compounds

What makes up a living cell?

Carbon Review
Forms 4 covalent bonds
C’s may connect in straight lines
• C-C-C-C-
5 or more C’s may form rings
N,O, and other atoms add variety

Kinds of Macromolecules
Carbohydrates
Lipids (fats)
Proteins
Nucleic Acids

Carbohydrates
Are sugars or “saccharides”
3 types:
• Monosaccharides
• Disaccharides
• Polysaccharides

Carbohydrates
As the name indicates:
Carbon
Hydrate = water
C x H y O z

Examples of Carbohydrates
Glucose: C 6 H 12 O 6
Fructose: C 6 H 12 O 6
---------------------------------------------------------------------
(isomers = compounds with the same
molecular formula, but diff.
structural formulas)

Glucose v. Fructose

(CH 2 O) n
1:2:1 ratio in all carbs

Monosaccharides
Single sugar molecule (simplest)
One ring
Examples:
• Glucose
• Fructose
• Galactose

Disaccharides
2 sugar molecules linked together
2 rings
Examples:
• Sucrose (table sugar)
• Lactose
• Maltose

Dehydration Synthesis
The process that links two sugar
molecules by removing H 2 O
Glucose + fructose
sucrose

Disaccharides

Polysaccharides
A series of connected monosaccharides
Many rings

Polysacc. Examples
A) Starch = 1000 +
glucose molecules
• Used in plants for
energy storage
• Not branched
• Alpha glucose units
tend to coil

More Polysacc. Examples
B) Cellulose
• Major ingredient in wood
• Used in plants for structure and support
• Aids passage of food through digestive
system
• Not branched

Cellulose

Notice the Polymer!
Starch
Cellulose

More Polysacc. Examples
C) Glycogen
• Used in animals for energy storage
• Branched

Uses of Carbohydrates
ENERGY!!!!!
Your body essentially “burns” sugars and
starches for energy:
C x H y O z + O 2 CO 2 + H 2 O + ENERGY

Typical Carbohydrates
Simple: Sugars
Complex: Bread & pasta
Athletes are often recommended to eat
spaghetti or other pasta before games
because it gives extended energy- not just
the quick fix of sugar!

Lipids
Made of C, H, and O
(but less O than a carb)
Building block: 1 glycerol
backbone + 3 fatty acids

A Fat (Lipid) Molecule

Fats are formed by Condensation
(Dehydration Synthesis)
Triglyceride

Fats
Fats store energy for us long term (also
impt. for insulation/protection of internal
organs)
Carbohydrates are very soluble in water
and break down easily in the body; fast
energy
Fats are insoluble in water and last a very
long time; stored energy

Compare
Glucose
Fat

Fats have a lot of bonds
A typical fat molecule might be something
like C 48 H 104 O 6
All those bonds contain a lot of energy
Some are bigger, some smaller

Saturation?
Some fats are considered “saturated” and
others are considered “unsaturated”
Saturated means only single bonds
Unsaturated means double bonds
Polyunsaturated means multiple double
bonds

Lipids

Effects of Saturation
Close packing
Solid
Far packing
Liquid

Health effects
Saturated fats are more closely packed
and unreactive. Thus they build up faster
in our bodies and cause heart disease.
Unsaturated fats are more loosely packed
and more reactive. Thus, our bodies can
process them faster and they don’t build
up in our arteries, etc.

Comparing Fats
Unhealthy
Healthy

Proteins
Made of C, H, O, N, S
Building block: amino acids

Proteins
Make up enzymes
Structure (muscles, hair, etc.)
Maintenance and repair

20 Natural Amino Acids

Proteins

Essential vs. Non-Essential
Of the 20 naturally occurring amino acids,
our bodies will naturally produce 12!
These are called Non-Essential
Where do the other 8 come from?
Extra 8 must come from our food sources!
These are called Essential

Which are Essential?

Proteins are condensation
(dehy. synthesis) Polymers

What’s a polymer?
A large macromolecule made up of
smaller repeating subunits
Monosaccharides = building blocks of carb
polymers
1 glycerol + 3 fatty acids = building blocks
for lipid polymers
Amino acids = building blocks of protein
polymers

Proteins are created at the
Ribosomes

Proteins—Primary Structure
Link amino acids together to form a
polypeptide (bond between a.a. called a
peptide bond)

Proteins—Secondary Structure

Proteins—Secondary Structure

Proteins—Tertiary Structure

Proteins—Quaternary Structure

Four Levels of Protein Structure

A Complete Protein

Examples of Proteins
Collagen – make up cartilage, tendons,
skin, and bone
Keratin = makes up hair, feathers, horns

Enzymes are Proteins

Nucleic Acids: DNA & RNA
Made of C,H,O,N, and P
Building Blocks: nucleotides

What is a nucleotide?
A 5 carbon sugar
A phosphate group
A nitrogen base

Two types of sugars
What is the difference between these two?

5 types of nitrogen bases

Nucleotides Put Together

Facts on DNA
DNA-2 chains
Sugar = deoxyribose
Located in nucleus
Stores genetic info—unique order of
nucleotides for each living organism
Nucleotide order determines amino acid
order

DNA shape = Double Helix

CG & TA Match Up

Twist the ladder!

What about RNA?
Single stranded
Sugar = ribose
Located in nucleus and in cytoplasm
(where it helps build proteins)

How is DNA related to RNA?
DNA serves as
template (mold for)
RNA!
Double helix splits
open and proceeds to
construct a strand of
messenger RNA

RNA builds the proteins

What are these examples of?