Question

1. Name of all biological macromolecules Picture of biological macromolecules. Explain the function of each biological macromolecules Identify if it is a monomer or polymerIdentify what elements are present. Provide an example of each biological macromolecule

Answer 1

There are 4 types of biological macromolecules. They play a wide range of roles in our body, and we need all of them, in varying degrees, for survival. They are generally large molecules made up of smaller, simpler molecules. All together, they make up a significant amount of our bodies dry mass. Let us look at each one in some detail.

i) Carbohydrates: They are polymers made up of monomers monosaccarides.They are made of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. They are the building blocks of sugars, fibers(made up of polysaccarides),and starches. Carbohydrates are our bodies' primary source of energy. They are broken down into simpler sugars, which power many of the chemical reactions in our body required to generate energy. Excess carbohydrates are stored in our muscles and liver for use down the line when the necessary amount of carbohydrates is not available. An example of a carbohydrate is Sucrose, which in turn is made up of glucose and fructose, which in turn are simpler carbohydrates.

This is a picture of sucrose.

ii)Proteins: They are polymers made up of amino acids, which are attached to each other in long chains. The amino acids themselves can be made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and/or sulfur. Proteins play a plethora of roles in the human body, from being the building blocks of muscle mass, to helping carry messages and/or being the catalysts for reactions that are necessary(enzymes), to playing the role of antibodies. They are required for the structure, proper functioning, and the maintenance of the bodies organs and tissues. An example of a protein is insulin, which is involved in the regulation of blood glucose, and is vital for the proper functioning of the body.

This is a picture of the structure of insulin.

iii) Nucleic acids: They are polymers of nucleotides, and are linear or chained in nature. The nucleotides themselves consist mainly of three elements, a nitrogenous base, a phosphate group, and a pentose sugar. They play one of the most vital roles in the body, that is, the storage and expression of genetic information, which is the key to life itself. They are also involved in protein synthesis, which in turn is used in various roles in the body. There are two main classes, DNA, which constitutes all the genetic information of independent oganisms, and then RNA, which plays a role in protein synthesis, and in viral particles, contains genetic information. An example for a nucleic acid could be the famed DNA(deoxyribose nucleic acid) molecule.

This is a picture of the DNA helix.

iv) Lipids: Many a times, lipids are not considered to be macromolecules, because of they are built. Nonetheless, they are very important, and we shall look into them.

Lipids have widely varying structures depending on their function in the body, but we can broadly say that they are substances that are hydrophobic, but dissolve in organic solvents. There are various types of lipids, fatty acids, glycerides, sterols, etc. All of them have different structures and different roles in the body. Generally, we can say that there are two types of lipids, simple(which give rise to two constituents on hydrolysis) and complex(which give rise to a larger number of constituents on hydrolysis). A few of the primary functions of lipids are being energy storehouses in the body, being a structural component of the various membranes found in the body, and also as signalling molecules or being ligands. An example of a lipid is the phospholipid which plays a primary role in the cell membrane due to it's amphiphilic structure.

This is the phospholipid, and an example of how it is generally set up in the cell membrane.

If you found my answer helpful, please give it a thumbs up!