Notes

Macromolecules

Smaller organic molecules join together to
form larger molecules
 macromolecules

4 major classes of
macromolecules:
 carbohydrates
 lipids
 proteins
MACROMOLECULES
 nucleic
acids
All about Carbohydrates!
Polymers

Macromolecules
Long molecules built by linking repeating
building
g blocks in a chain
 monomers
 building
blocks
small units
 repeated
 covalent
H2O
bonds
HO
H
HO
Macromolecule
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleic Acids
Subunit
simple sugars
glycerol & fatty acids
Amino acids
Nucleotides
H
Dehydration synthesis
HO
H
1
Carbohydrates
Produced through plants and algae
through the process of photosysnthesis
 Carbohydrates are used for energy,
building materials and for cell
identification and communication.
 Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen
and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio. General
formula – (CH2O)n, n represents the # of
C atoms.

Monosaccharides
Simple sugars, ex. glucose, galactose,
fructose
 5 or more carbons – linear in dry state,
form ring structure when dissolved in
water.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are classified into 3 groups:
1.
Monosaccharides
2.
Oligosaccharides
3.
Polysaccharides
Monosaccharides
α – glucose, 50% chance OH group of C 1 will
b below
be
b l plane
l
off ring.
i
 β – glucose, 50% chance OH group of C 1 will
be above plane of ring.

2
Glucose
Found in fruits and vegetables
 Basic structure in dry form is
straight chain, and ring structure in
solution

Numbered carbons
C 6'
5' C
O
4' C
C 1'
energy stored in C-C bonds
C 3'
C 2'
3
Fructose
Fructose
Commonly found in fruits
 Fructose is an isomer of glucose
 (meaning it has same # and types of atoms,
but different arrangement of these atoms)
 Because they are isomers, glucose and fructose
have different chemical properties (e.g.
(e g
Different sweetness)

Galactose
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Linkage Bonds



Organic macromolecules are composed of
many tiny subunits that are linked together
Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic
acids are all assembled in the same way
To link subunits a covalent bond is formed
between two subunits in which:
1.
2.
One molecule
O
l l contains
t i a hhydroxyl
d
l group (OH)
One molecule contains a hydrogen (H)
Macromolecules
Linkage bonds
The hydroxyl group combines with the
hydrogen in a process called a dehydration
reaction where water is removed.
 Energy is required to position the two subunits
and to apply enough stress on the bonds to
break them. This process is called catalysis.
 When
Wh macromolecules
l l are b
broken,
k water is
i
added to separate the linkage groups 
hydrolysis reaction.

Example
Dehydration Synthesis (Condensation Reaction) Two
subunits link together through the removal of a water
molecule.
Dehydration synthesis is an anabolic reaction that absorbs
energy.
5
Macromolecules
Hydrolysis Reaction
Two subunits break apart through the addition of a water
molecule.
Non-example
Hydration synthesis is a catabolic reaction that releases
energy.
Oligosaccharides
Commonly known as disaccharides
 2 or 3 simple sugars attached by covalent
glycosidic linkages, formed by condensations
(dehydration synthesis) reactions.
 Ex. Maltose, Sucrose

6
Properties of Mono- and Disaccharides
Oligosaccharides
White crystalline compounds that are solid at
room temperature and
d di
dissolve
l readily
dil iin
water
 Are all sweet to our taste but each sugar has
its own level of sweetness

Polysaccharides




Polysaccharides
100s – 1000s of monosaccharides held together by
glycosidic
l
idi linkages.
li k
Used for energy storage and structural support.
Starch and Glycogen – storage
Cellulose and Chitin – structure
7
Types of Polysaccharides: Starch
Condensation and Hydrolysis
Condensation/Hydrolysis
Major food reserve of plants
 Actually a mixture of two types of
polysaccharides

 Amylose
Dehydration
Synthesis-Hydrolysis
 Small,
(about 20%)
not branching, all glucose
 Amylopectin
y p
 Large,
((about 80%))
branched, also all glucose
Starch vs Sugar
Starch
 White and powdery
 Not very soluble in
water
 Does not taste sweet
Sugar
 White crystals
 Readily dissolves in
water
 Usually tastes sweet
8
Glycogen
Pectin
Produced by animals
 Polymer of glucose
 Stores excess glucose in muscle and liver cells
 Hydrolyzed when glucose levels are low in
blood

Linear vs. branched polysaccharides
Complex mixture of polysaccharides
 Usually mostly in foods as a gelling agent (e.g.
Jams and jelly)
 When pectin is mixed with water, it swells and
the various polysaccharides interlock to form a
meshwork which traps water
 To work it needs a pH of less than 3.5 and a
sugar content of about 50%

Cellulose
Also called dietary fibre
 Found mainly in the cell walls of plant cells
 Is one linear chain of beta-glucose, which most
organisms find difficult to break
 Enzyme CELLULASE can digest it (found only in
termite guts and ruminant guts)

starch
(plant)
energy
storage
What does
branching do?
glycogen
(animal)
9
Polysaccharide diversity

Molecular structure determines function
i starch
in
t h
i cellulose
in
ll l
isomers of glucose
 structure determines function…

Digesting starch vs. cellulose
Cellulose

starch
easy to
digest
enzyme
Most abundant organic
compound on Earth
 herbivores
 most
can digest cellulose
carnivores cannot digest cellulose
 that’s
cellulose
hard to
digest
why they
eat meat to get
their energy &
nutrients
 cellulose = roughage
enzyme
10
Cow
can digest cellulose well;
no need to eat other sugars
Gorilla
can’t digest cellulose well; must
add another sugar source, like
fruit to diet
Gums
Complex polysaccharides which are
HYDROPHILIC and
d which
hi h combine
bi with
i h water
to form thick solutions
 12 natural gums are commonly used by humans
1. Plant seeds (guar gum)
2. Plant secretions (some tree saps)
3. Seaweed ( agar)
4. Microorganisms (dextrans)
Chitin
Polymer of special glucose molecules that have
nitrogen
i
groups attached
h d to C2
 Makes up arthropod exoskeletons (e.g. Insects,
spiders, crustaceans) and mushrooms
 2nd most abundant organic compound naturally
occurring

The Bread-Vengers

Any
Questions??
Review
11