Macromolecules

1. Macromolecules

2. Life: Small Picture to Big Picture Macromolecules

3. What are Macromolecules? • Cells and their organelles are made up of smaller building blocks called macromolecules. • There are 4 basic types of macromolecules. They are: • Lipids • Proteins • Carbohydrates • Nucleic Acids

4. Monomers & Polymers • Macromolecules are actually made up of even smaller subunits. Each subunit of a macromolecule is called a monomer. • The macromolecules themselves are called polymers, because they are made up of many of these subunits. Monomer: one basic unit or subunit Polymer: a chain of many basic units

5. What you need to know: • Names of the 4 macromolecules • Structure- monomers and polymers of each • Function- what are they used for? • Food sources- what foods will you find these in? • Indicator Tests- what tests do we use to find out if a food contains them?

6. Lipids

7. Lipids: Structure • Lipids are made up of… • Monomer (basic unit): fatty acids • Polymer (chain of units): lipids • Specific examples: triglycerides, phospholipids

8. Lipids: Structure* Properties of Lipids caused by: • Saturated vs. Unsaturated fatty acids • Polar head and nonpolar tail regions • Hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions

9. Lipids: Function • Make up the cell membrane, providing cell structure • Provide insulation (fat keeps body warm) • Long-term energy storage

10. Lipids: Food Sources • As you might have guessed, fatty foods contain lipids. • Lipids are found in meat and fish, oils, avacados, eggs & nuts.

11. Lipids: Indicator Test • Paper Bag Test: • Smear substance onto paper bag • If see-thru, it contains lipids

12. Proteins

13. Proteins: Structure • Proteins are made up of… • Monomer (basic unit): amino acids • 20 different kinds!* • Polymer (chain of units): protein • More specifically- polypeptides dipeptide Amino acids linked by peptide bonds

14. Proteins: Structure* 20 Amino Acids: Some of these are polar & hydrophilic, others are non-polar and hydrophobic. Proteins can contain both kinds.

15. Proteins: Structure • Proteins have complex structures. The shape of a protein determines its function! • The levels of protein structure are: • Primary structure: polypeptide chain • Secondary structure: polypeptides in coils or sheets • Tertiary structure: coils or sheets form a tangle • Quaternary structure: more than one tangle combine to make a very complex protein!

16. Proteins: Function • Build and repair muscle and tissues • “No pain, no gain!” • Enzymes- proteins that speed up chemical reactions

17. Proteins: Food Sources • Proteins are found in meat, fish, legumes, nuts, milk, eggs, grains and soy products. • There are 6 amino acids that our bodies cannot make- we can only get these from food.

18. Proteins: Indicator Test • Biuret’s Solution: • Turns from blue to purple if protein is present

19. Carbohydrates

20. Carbohydrates: Structure • Carbohydrates are made up of… • Monomer (basic unit): simple sugars (or monosaccharides) • Ex.: glucose • Polymer (chain of units): complex carbohydrates (or polysaccharides) • Ex.: starch, cellulose, chitin, glycogen Disaccharide: 2 simple sugars bonded together

21. Carbohydrates: Function Complex carb (ex. Starch) • Provide body with energy! • What should you eat before playing the big game? Candy bar or pasta? • Candy bar: contains simple sugars, provides a short burst of energy • Pasta: contains starch which takes longer to break down, provides longer-lasting energy • *We can’t digest cellulose- it is used as fiber, or roughage instead. • Ex. : corn Broken down to disaccharides Broken down further Simple sugars (ex. Glucose)

22. Simple carbs (simple sugars) are found in most candy and sweet drinks, fruit, vegetables, and milk. They are quickly digested and give a short burst of energy. Complex carbs (like starches) are found in pasta, bread, potatoes, legumes & corn. They take longer to digest, and provide energy longer. Carbohydrates: Food Sources

23. Carbohydrates: Indicator Tests • Simple Sugars: • Benedict’s solution • Blue solution turns orange/green/brown • Complex Carbs: • Lugol’s solution/Iodine • Turns from orange-red-brown to black-purple

24. Nucleic Acids

25. Nucleic Acids: Structure • Nucleic Acids are made up of… • Monomers (basic unit): nucleotides • Polymers (chain of units): DNA or RNA

26. Nucleic Acids: Function • Stores and carries genetic information

27. Nucleic Acids: Food Sources • We get nucleic acid components from vitamins and minerals in our diet. These in turn, come from fruits, vegetables, grains, meats, & almost anything else you can think of with some nutritional value (no junk food!).

28. Nucleic Acids: Indicator Test • You will not be using an indicator test for these but in case you’re wondering… • Dische diphenylamine test • Turns from clear-light blue to dark blue if nucleic acids are present

29. Digestion & Reconstruction • When macromolecules are eaten, they are digested and broken down into their subunits (monomers). • Analogy: taking apart an old brick building • Inside the cells, these subunits are reconstructed into the macromolecules we need. • Analogy: using bricks to build a new building

30. Digestion Products