By Gerald Carey
Macromolecules Carbohydrates Polysaccharides are used for structural purposes. Consist of CHO backbone Carbohydrates made up of monomers called monosaccharides (eg glucose) Monomers can join together to form disaccharides (eg sucrose) Polysaccharides are a chain of monomers generally used for storage of energy. Cellulose (fibre) - cell wall in plants Chitin - hard outer covering in insects. For example: starch (in plants) glycogen (in animals) This is glucose Space fill model This is glucose Flat model C - Carbon H - Hydrogen O - Oxygen C - Carbon - Black H - Hydrogen - White O - Oxygen - Red Mono - single Saccaride - sugar + Monosaccharide Monosaccharide Disaccharide (Di - two) + Monosaccharide Monosaccharide Polysaccharide (Poly - many) + Monosaccharide + Monosaccharide Summary: C, H, O atoms monomers (monosacchrides) add monomers together forms disacchrides, polysaccarides used for energy and cell structures Lipids Consist of CHO backbone This is a lipid Space fill model C - Carbon H - Hydrogen O - Oxygen C - Carbon - Grey H - Hydrogen - Red O - Oxygen - Yellow Water attracting head Water repelling tails Major Types of Lipids Saturated Fats (from animals) Unsaturated Oils (from plants) Phospholipids (Cell membranes) Waxes Plant leaf cuticles Insect outer layer Steroids cholesterol Functions of lipids Part of cell membrane Important in signalling Insulation of whole organism Energy storage Summary CHO structure 4 main types Used for storage, Protection and signalling Nucleic Acids DNA Discovered in 1953 Able to copy itself (self-replicate) and pass information on to daughter cells Made up of numerous nucleotides Nucleotide made up of a sugar (ribose), a phosphate group and a base One Nucleotide Consist of CHON backbone C - Carbon H - Hydrogen O - Oxygen N - Nitrogen Thymine Carbon- Black Hydrogen - White Oxygen - Red Nitrogen - Blue Other nucleic acids mRNA tRNA rRNA Genes found along chromsomes Genes are made of DNA Proteins Consist of CHONS (and some other atoms) C - Carbon H - Hydrogen O - Oxygen N - Nitrogen S - Sulphur Amino acid Cytoseine Insulin Protein made up of a string of amino acids Protein function Enzymes Receptors Antibodies Movement