Question

What are the building blocks of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids?

Answer 1

Building blocks, by definition are units from which something is built up. Organic molecules like carbohydrates, lipids, etc, have smaller molecules that make them up.

1)Proteins: Proteins are macromolecules that are responsible for a variety of cellular functions. They are long chains of folded and compact amino acids. Amino acids are joined together by peptide bonds to form a long chain that gets folded appropriately to form proteins. Amino acids thus act as buliding blocks for proteins. Their basic structure is a carbon atom (alpha) linked to hydroxyl group, an amino group and a variable side chain.

2) Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are macromolecules responsible for providing energy for the cellular function. They are made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and generally contain hydroxyl groups. They are joined together to form long chains like monosaccharide (single carbohydrate), disaccharide (2 carbohydrates joined together) or polysaccharide.

3) Lipids: Fats, cholesterol and lipoproteins come under the definition of lipids. They are built up by long chains of fatty acids attached to glycerol molecule. The physical characteristic of the lipid molecule depends on the characteristic of the fatty acid that makes up the molecule.

4) Nucleic acid: DNA and RNA come under nucleic acids. These are polynucleotides. Polynucleotides, by definition are long chains of nucleotids joined together by covalent bonds. Every single nucleotide is made up of a pentose sugar attached on one side to a nitrogen base and to a phosphate group on the other side.