Biomolecules concept map

Monomer - def. A basic structural unit of organic molecules that can bond and form larger molecules

Polymer - def. →A complex organic molecule that is made up of repeating monomers

Definition of monomers and poymers

The process of breaking poymers' covalent bond is Condensation synthesis, H2O molecules are used with the product of multiple monomers

The process of binding two or more monomers to create a poylmer is Condensation synthesis, with the byproduct of H2O molecules

Figure 1 Fructose

Figure 2 Sucrose

Monomer - monosaccharides

• Fructose
• Glucose
• Galatose

Dimer - disaccharides

• Sucrose
• Maltose
• Lactose

Polymer - polysaccharides

• Starch
• Glycogen
• Cellulose

Monomer, Dimer & Polymer

Figure 3

Starch

Figure 4 Glucose

Made of elements:

• 1 Carbon

• 2 Hydrogen

• 1 Oxygen

Chemical element

- A great source for short term energy

• The monomer of Carbohydrate is glucose, which is an essential reactant in the cellular respiration process to produce ATP energy

E.g. Runners have pasta dinners before running a marathon to build energy for a short term release

- Cellular structural support

• Polysaccharides are capable of forming H-bonds due to its chemical properties, therefore it can produce strong intramolecular (within a molecule) and intermolocular (between molecules) bonds

E.g. the rigid cell wall structure of plant cells is made of cellulose, which is a type of carbohydrate polymer that can prevent a cell from lysing

Usage

Biomolecule test

To test for presence of Carbohydrates, both Iodine and Benedict's solution can be used by the indication of colour changes

• Iodine solution - test for starch (polymer)

Under the influence of starch, the indicator should experience a colour change from orange-brown to a dark-purple colour

• Benedict's solution - test for sugar (monomer)

Under the influence of sugar, the indicator should experience a colour change from a vibrant blue to green, orange & red depending levels of sugar concentration

Green - least amount of sugar presence

Orange - moderate amount of sugar presence

Red - highest amount of sugar presence

Examples

Examples of carbohydrate:

• Potato

• Grains e.g. rice

• Legumes and nuts

• Milk

Figure 5

Figure 6

Monomer & Polymer

Monomer - glycerol and fatty acids

• Glycerol plays the role as a backbone in the polymer triglyceride
• Fatty acids are units of fat that can be presented as either saturated or unsaturated

Polymer - triglycerides

• A triglyceride is consist of a glycerol connected with three other fatty acid molecules
• triglycerides are hydrophobic (insoluble), and present itself as fats or oil

Fats are solid in room temperature, while oils are liquid at all temperatures

Unsaturated fats have double bonds between carbon molecules

Made of elements:

• Carbon

• Hydrogen

• Oxygen

Chemical element

Usage

- Act as a waterproof barrier/ structural support

• The phospholipid bilayer has a layer of lipids that regulate the permeability of a cell. It can take distinctive control of the entry/ exit of a cell to maintain health of a cell

- Storage for long term energy/ insultaion for heat

• The absorption of excess energy is stored into adipose tissue (body fat, or fatty tissues), which can be used as a backup when carbohydrate is not available for energy usage, and acts as a thermo-retaining layer

- Act as chemical messengers

• Made up certain types of steroid hormones such as oestrogen and testosterone to trigger responses/ coordinate different functions of the body

Biomolecule test

To test for presence of lipids, both emulsion test and brown-paper test can be utilised

• Emulsion test - test for liquid sample

a process to "mix" both immiscible fluids to determine whether a substance contains lipid by detecting droplets of oil in the water

• Brown paper test - test for sugar (monomer)

Rub samples on butcher's paper/ brown paper, and observe it under light to detect an oil stain

Examples of lipids:

• Butter

• chloresterol

• Wax

• Steroid

Examples

Monomer - amino acids

• Building units that composes proteins
• Amino acids are transported by tRNAs during protein synthesis

Polymer - polypeptide

• a chain of amino acids binded by peptide bonds
• the formation of polypeptide occurs in the ribosome

Monomer & Polymer

Figure 7

Chemical element

Made of elements:

• Carbon

• Hydrogen

• Oxygen

• Nitrogen

Usage

- Enzymes

• Enzymes are protein that aids in breaking down substances, specially the food consumed into the body to obtain specific molecules and energy

- Transportation across cells/ structural support

• Protein channels are needed to proceed active/ facilitated transport across the cell membrane
• Some protein channels are embedded into the cell membrane to support its flidity

- Fighting infections

• Particular type of cell receptor called NOD2 is made of protein. It plays a role in detecting and alerting immune system of foregin objects to perform corresponding actions in order to protect the body

Biomolecule test

To test for presence of protein, Biruet solution is needed

• Biruet solution

Under the influence of protein, when exposed to the indicator the sample should turn from a vibrant blue colout to a mauvre colour

Examples of protein:

• Eggs

• Legumes e.g. beans

• Poultry

• Pork

• Beef

• Seeds and nuts

Examples

Figure 8

Monomer - nucleotides

• It is made of 3 parts: 5-carbon sugar, phosphate group and a nitrogenous base
• There are 2 types of 5-carbon sugar: Deoxyribose sugar and ribose sugar

Polymer - nucleic acid

• There are 2 types of nucleic acid: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA)
• The type of 5-carbon sugar determines the formation of either DNA or RNA

Monomer & Polymer

Figure 9

Made of elements:

• Carbon

• Hydrogen

• Oxygen

• Nitrogen

• Phosphorus

Chemical element

- Blue print for protein

• Composed genetic materials that are essential to the survival of an organism as it supplies the body instructions to produce needed substances by itself (makes the blueprint)

• Protein are building blocks of tissues and are unqiue in different bodies, therefore nucleic acids are crucial in terms of the development of an organism

Usage

Examples of nucleic acid:

• DNA - deoxyribonucleic acid

A twisted ladder/ a double helix structured genetic material that provides instruction on protein synthesis and arrangement

• RNA - ribonucleic acid

A single stranded structured geentic material that take different parts in protein synthesis

E.g. tRNA, mRNA & rRNA

Examples

• Figure 1 (2017) ‘Fructose’ [Diagram]. American Chemical Society. Available at https://www.acs.org/molecule-of-the-week/archive/f/fructose.html. (Accessed: March 29, 2023)

• Figure 2 Carlson, D. (no date) ‘Sucrose structure formula’. Wikipedia. Available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucrose_intolerance . (Accessed: March 29, 2023)

• Figure 3 Shapley, P. (2012) ‘Glucose Polysaccharides’. University of Illinois. Available at: http://butane.chem.uiuc.edu/pshapley/GenChem2/B10/2.html . (Accessed: March 29, 2023)

• Figure 4 Al-dhaheri, M (2019) ‘Molecular structure of glucose’. Research gate. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Molecular-structure-of-glucose_fig1_337498058 . (Accessed: March 29, 2023)

• Figure 5 - 6 (no date) ‘Triglycerides formation’. Nutrition Flexbook. Available at: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-nutrition/chapter/2-35-triglycerides/. (Accessed: March 29, 2023)

• Figure 7 Cooper, J. (1995) ‘The polypeptide chain’. Cyrst. Available at: https://www.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/PPS95/course/3_geometry/peptide2.htmlhttps://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-nutrition/chapter/2-35-triglycerides/ . (Accessed: March 29, 2023)

• Figure 8 - 9 (no date) ‘Nucleotides and bases’. Courtesy of the National Human Genome Research Institute. Available at: https://knowgenetics.org/nucleotides-and-bases/ . (Accessed: March 29, 2023)

• Figure 10 Klug. Cummings. (1997) ‘Deoxyribose versus Ribose sugars’. Memorial University. Available at: https://www.mun.ca/biology/scarr/Ribose_sugar.html#:~:text=Ribose%20is%20a%20single%2Dring,clockwise%2C%20following%20organic%20chemistry%20rules. (Accessed: March 29, 2023)

Image references

• Singh, S (2023) ‘Biomolecules Powerpoint’ [PowerPoint presentation]. Norwood Secondary College. Available at: https://norwood-vic.compass.education/Services/FileAssets.svc/DownloadFile?sessionstate=readonly&id=74cff30e-9832-4379-bba1-85f1dc126ad5&originalFileName=Biomolecules%2520PowerPoint.pptx&nodeId=472789

• Latham, K. (2021) Examples of carbohydrates, Biology Dictionary. Available at: https://biologydictionary.net/examples-of-carbohydrates/ (Accessed: March 24, 2023).

• Sissons, B. (2021) Lipoprotein(a): What it is, test results, and what they mean, Medical News Today. MediLexicon International. Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/lipoprotein-a-what-it-is-test-results-and-what-they-mean#:~:text=Lipoproteins%20are%20a%20type%20of,)%2C%20or%20bad%2C%20cholesterol. (Accessed: March 28, 2023).

• Bis2A_Singer_Lipids, carbohydrates and nucleic acids (2022) Biology LibreTexts. Libretexts. Available at: https://bio.libretexts.org/Courses/University_of_California_Davis/BIS_2A%3A_Introductory_Biology_-_Molecules_to_Cell/Fall_2021_Bis2A_Singer_Modules/Bis2A_Singer_Lipids%2C_Carbohydrates%2C_and_Nucleic_Acids (Accessed: March 29, 2023).

• Slifer, K. (no date) Polymer of Lipids Overview & Examples | What are Polymers of Lipids? Study.com. Available at: https://study.com/academy/lesson/polymer-lipids-overview-examples.html#:~:text=Lipids%20have%20four%20main%20types,carbons%20are%20called%20saturated%20fats. (Accessed: March 29, 2023).

• Researchers identify protein that helps control common viral infection - 03/27/2014 (2014) Johns Hopkins Medicine, based in Baltimore, Maryland. Available at: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/researchers_identify_protein_that_helps_control_common_viral_infection#:~:text=The%20protein%20%E2%80%94%20a%20cell%20receptor,or%20destroy%20the%20harmful%20bacteria. (Accessed: March 29, 2023).

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