1. Lipids and DNA

2. Lipids
A group of chemicals that includes fats, oils, waxes, phospholipids, steroids, and sterols (steroid + alcohols).
Fats and oils provide long-term energy storage.
Fats provide insulation
Fats are mostly insoluble in water
Phospholipids form the cell membrane
Steroids are both structural and functional chemicals.
Sterols are combinations of alcohols + steroids (ex. Cholesterol)
Some lipids are beneficial!

3. Lipid Chemical Structure
AKA Triglyceride ^

4. Phospholipid Bilayer
Thin cell membrane barrier made of two layers of lipids
Polar “head” and Non-Polar fatty acid “tail”
Polar head is hydrophilic (water-loving)
Non-Polar tail is hydrophobic (water-hating

5. Lipids have glycerol “monomers”
Not monomers, per se, but fatty acid tails are linked together by glycerol molecules
Glycerol
Fatty Acid Tails

6. Nucleic Acids
Large complex molecules that contain hereditary or inherited information.
Responsible for inherited characteristics.
Make up the structure of DNA and RNA
DNA is blueprint for making an individual (genetic code)
RNA is blueprint for making individual proteins

7. DNA and RNA Monomers Called nucleotides
Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, and Thymine in DNA
In RNA, Thymine is replaced by Uracil

8. DNA Structure
Sugar-phosphate backbone
Double helix

9. DNA vs. RNA Structure