1. Unit #7 – Biological Molecules: What are the building blocks of life?
On the following slides, the yellow sections are the main points; summarize the slides in your notebooks. Underlined words = vocabulary!

2. K W L List the things you know about the 4 biomolecules:
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins and
Nucleic Acids W
Review the difference between inorganic and organic molecules.
The meaning of monomer and polymer.
The structure and function of the 4 biomolecules.
Role of enzymes in cells and the body. L

3. Levels of Molecular Organization
Atom
Element
Molecule
(2+ atoms)
Compound
(2+ elements)
Cell
(Both organic & inorganic compounds)

4. Types of Compounds
Organic compounds - contain the element carbon (C) and are found in living things; with four valence electrons, carbon atoms can bond with numerous other atoms to create complex compounds.
Inorganic compounds without carbon and are associated with non-living things.

5. Monomers vs. Polymers
The biomolecules found in living things are composed of hundreds of atoms, sometimes more (AKA macromolecules).
Cells create macromolecules by joining smaller molecules in to chains called polymers. [Greek polys = many, meros = part] - a large molecule composed of identical subunits called monomers.

6. The 4 of Biomolecules lipids proteins nucleic acids carbohydrates
ORGANIC MOLECULES
lipid, nucleic acid, carbohydrate, protein
INORGANIC MOLECULES
CO2
water:
most important inorganic compound in living things
most cellular processes take place in water solution
excellent solvent (substances dissolve in water)
carbohydrates

7. Knowledge Check
Turn and talk with your neighbor – what types of foods would be categorized as carbohydrates?

9. What are carbohydrates?
Contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in 1:2:1 (C:H:O) ratio
are the body’s primary source of short-term energy
are made of monomers called monosaccharides (meaning “1” + “sugar”).
Types:
Monosaccharides
Polysaccharides

10. What is a monosaccharide?
Monosaccharides (simple sugars) are easily identified by the sweet taste – note the ring shape of the molecule.
EX Glucose [C6H12O6]
Other monosaccharides: galactose (milk sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar)

11. What is a polysaccharide?
Polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates made of long chains of monosaccharides.
Starches (found in roots like potatoes and other tissues in plants)
Cellulose (found in plant cell walls)

12. Polysaccharides Cont.
Glycogen (found in the liver and muscles of animals)
Sucrose (table sugar) is an example of a sugar made of two monosaccharides, a disaccharide.

13. Carbohydrates Review Remember that monomers make up polymers.
What is the monomer (or subunit) for complex carbohydrates?
Observe the diagram and turn and talk to your neighbor to answer the question.

14. Knowledge Check
Turn and talk with your neighbor – what types of foods would be categorized as fats?

16. What are lipids?
Chemically diverse group of compounds; contain C, H, O atoms - EX fats, waxes, also steroids
Found within the cell membrane; used for long-term energy storage
Classified as hydrophobic (insoluble in water)
Types:
Unsaturated
liquid at room temperature
w/ double bonds
Saturated
solid at room temp, unhealthy

17. Lipids Cont. Note the molecular structure “E” shape Made of: glycerol+
fatty acids chains C H O C H O C H O
LIPIDS
made up of
glycerol (boxes the glycerol portion of the molecule)
and fatty acids (boxes the fatty acids portions of the molecule)
Note the molecular structure’s “E” shape (highlights the “E” shape)

18. Lipids Review
The fatty acid chain of the lipids is often referred to as a hydrocarbon chain. Why?
Observe the diagram and turn and talk to your neighbor to answer the question.

19. Knowledge Check
Turn and talk with your neighbor – what types of foods would be categorized as proteins?

20. http://media. coreperformance. com/images/411. 308/knowledge-protein1

21. What are proteins?
Contain C, O, H, N and usually S atoms - AKA polypeptides
Made of monomers called amino acids
Needed for essential life activities in the body
fight disease
transport substances

22. Proteins Cont. An enzyme is a protein which functions to increase
rates in chemical reactions.
Proteins are found in muscles, nails, cartilage, etc.

23. Proteins Cont. a carboxyl group are made up of: an amino group
and an “R” group which varies in the different amino acids
PROTEINS
are made up of
an amino group (boxes the amino group in a general molecular structure)
a carboxyl group (boxes the carboxyl group in a general molecular structure)
and an “R” group which varies in the different amino acids (boxes the R group in a general molecular structure)
(shows an alanine molecular structure)
(shows a serine molecular structure)

24. Proteins Review
There are 20 naturally-occurring amino acids, and each one only varies in the structure of the R side chain.
Two amino acids are shown in the diagram. What are the R side chains in each?
Talk to your neighbor to answer the question.

25. What are nucleic acids? Contain H, O, C, N, and P atoms.
Made of monomers called nucleotides
Store genetic information in living things and carry instructions for building proteins
EX DNA and RNA

26. What is a nucleotide? Nucleotides contain: A sugar A phosphate
A nitrogenous base, of which there are four:
Adenine
Thymine
Cytosine
Guanine

27. Review of Chemical Reactions
A chemical reaction is a process that changes one set of chemicals into another set and the recombination of atoms in to different substances.
When you eat a burger, your body has to process and change the carbohydrates and other molecules into parts the body can use.
Products are the items up end up with
(the right of the arrow).
Reactants are the items that you begin with (the left of the arrow).

28. Enzymes
An enzyme [typically ending in –ASE] is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst. They work in cells to speed up chemical reactions.
The enzyme attaches to a specific substrate and reacts to produce products.
Examine the graphic to the right which shows the digestion of proteins in the intestine. Specific enzymes work to break the peptide bonds between amino acids and then free amino acids can enter the blood stream.

29. Enzymes Cont. Factors that can affect enzymes are: Temperature pH
Concentration
Temperature: all enzymes have an optimal temp they work best at
pH: acidity/alkalinity can increase or decrease the function of an enzyme
Concentration: Increasing the concentration of the enzyme can increase the rate of the chemical reaction

30. The Lock & Key Model
Specific enzymes will only work on specific substrates; enzymes attach at the “active site” that matches the substrate . EX
Salivary amylase attaches to starch
Maltase attaches to the sugar maltose
Pepsin attaches to proteins

31.
Video

32. K W L List the things you know about the 4 biomolecules:
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins and
Nucleic Acids W
Review the difference between inorganic and organic molecules.
The meaning of monomer and polymer.
The structure and function of the 4 biomolecules.
Role of enzymes in cells and the body. L
List the things you have learned during this unit.