Download Organic Macromolecules 2009

Carbon compounds
 Have
Carbon atoms as a “backbone” of
molecule
 Typically contain C, H, O, P, N, S
 4 major classes
• Carbohydrates
• Lipids
• Proteins
• Nucleic Acids
 Macromolecule
= very large molecule
composed of many small “sub-units”
chained together
 C:H:O
 1:2:1
 Sugars (saccharides)
• (end with –ose)
 Subunit/monomer:
• glucose C6H12O6
 Monosaccharides:
• Glucose, fructose, galactose, ribose,
deoxyribose
 Disaccharides:
• Sucrose, lactose
 Polysaccharides:
• Starch, cellulose, glycogen
 Macromolecule
= polysaccharide
• Many sugars linked together
 Examples/Functions
• Starch
 Energy storage (plants)
• Glycogen
 Energy storage (animals)
• Cellulose
 Structural role in plant cell walls (we can’t break it
down)
 Very
diverse group
 Subunit : –CH2- OR Glycerol + 3 long
fatty acid chains
 Examples
• Fats & Oils  Energy Storage (2X sugar)
 Fats/Oils
(cont)
• Saturated = straight chains  solid @ room temp
• Unsaturated = kinked chains  liquid @ r.t.
 Phospholipids
• Structural part of cell membranes
 Steroids, Cholesterol, Hormones
• Control metabolic reactions
 Pigments
• Absorb light in plants
 Subunit
 Amino Acids (20)
Polypeptide (chain of a.a.)
Protein (1+ polypeptides)
 Structural
proteins:
• Hair, skin, muscle, ligaments, tendons, bones, etc
 Metabolism
proteins:
• Enzymes  speed up & control rates of
chemical reactions
 Subunit
 Nucleotide (consists of 3 parts)
 DNA
& RNA
• Long chains of nucleotides
• Hereditary info
 ATP
• Sugar, Base, 3 Phosphates
• Releases energy when phosphate groups are
removed
• Chemical Energy