Lesson 3: Self-Directed Activity
THE BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
NAME: PERALTA, Jemina Ching L. DATE OF SUBMISSION: March 20, 2021
INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Ryan Jay Mostoles
QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH:
1. Describe the chemistry of biological macromolecules
A macromolecule is a molecule that consists of one or more types of repeated 'building
blocks'. The building blocks are called monomeric units (monomers). The large molecules
necessary for life that are built from smaller organic molecules are called biological
macromolecules. There are four major classes of biological macromolecules (carbohydrates,
lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids), and each is an important component of the cell and performs
a wide array of functions. Combined, these molecules make up the majority of a cell’s mass.
Biological macromolecules are organic, meaning that they contain carbon. In addition, they may
contain hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and additional minor elements. Biological
macromolecules play a critical role in cell structure and function. Most (but not all) biological
macromolecules are polymers, which are any molecules constructed by linking together many
smaller molecules, called monomers. Typically all the monomers in a polymer tend to be the same,
or at least very similar to each other, linked over and over again to build up the larger
macromolecule. These simple monomers can be linked in many different combinations to produce
complex biological polymers, just as a few types of Lego blocks can build anything from a house
to a car.
Reference: Knowino. (2010). Macromolecular chemistry. Retrieved from
https://www.tau.ac.il/~tsirel/dump/Static/knowino.org/wiki/Macromolecular_chemistry.html
2. Describe the features of each major type of macromolecule and their representative
monomers
● Carbohydrates, which are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, are organic compounds
that serve as a source of energy for animals and humans. The general empirical structure for
carbohydrates is (CH2O). They are organic compounds organized in the form of aldehydes or
ketones with multiple hydroxyl groups coming off the carbon chain.Carbohydrates called
polysaccharides are made up of monomers called monosaccharides. Monosaccharides are
sugars that cannot be hydrolyzed further to yield simpler sugars. An example of a
monosaccharide would be glucose, which can polymerize into Amylose which is one of the
two components of starch.
● Lipids are made up of the same elements as carbohydrates: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
However, lipids tend to contain many more hydrogen atoms than oxygen atoms. Lipids include
fats, steroids, phospholipids, and waxes. One main characteristic of lipids is that they do not
dissolve in water. Lipids are usually triglyceride esters but contains other compounds like
phospholipids. They are not considered to be polymers as there is no 'repeating' chain of
1
, molecules.
● A protein molecule is very large compared with molecules of sugar or salt and consists of
many amino acids joined together to form long chains, much as beads are arranged on a
string. There are about 20 different amino acids that occur naturally in proteins. Proteins of
similar function have similar amino acid composition and sequence. Although it is not yet
possible to explain all of the functions of a protein from its amino acid sequence, established
correlations between structure and function can be attributed to the properties of the amino
acids that compose proteins.Proteins are long chains of amino acids. The monomer of proteins
are Amino acids. Amino acids are compounds which contain both an amino group and a
carboxylic group. Proteins are made up of 20 essential amino acids, which are also known as
α-amino acids since the two functional groups are joined at the α-carbon position. Now, these
essential amino acids polymerize in a condensation polymerization to yield your protein. An
example of an amino acid would be Glycine.
● Nucleic acids are polynucleotides—that is, long chainlike molecules composed of a series of
nearly identical building blocks called nucleotides. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogen-
containing aromatic base attached to a pentose (five-carbon) sugar, which is in turn attached
to a phosphate group. Nucleic acids are biopolymers that are essential for life. Its monomer
would be a nucleotide, which contains three of the following:
○ A five-carbon sugar
○ A phosphate group
○ A nitrogenous base
Together, these polymerize to give complex structures like RNA and DNA.
Reference: National Human Genome Institute. (2020). Biological Molecules. Retrieved from
https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary
3. Identify the functional groups of macromolecules
● Alcohols are biomolecules that contain at least one hydroxyl group (R―OH). The simplest of
all oxygen-containing functional groups, hydroxyl groups add polarity to organic molecules
because of the strong electronegative nature of oxygen atoms. Therefore, unless the
remainder of an organic molecule is very large and nonpolar, most alcohols dissolve in water
by forming hydrogen bonds.
● Carbonyls. Similarly, carbonyl groups in aldehydes and ketones usually increase polarity and
reactivity of organic molecules. The shorthand structural model for a carbonyl is >C=O, where
> represents two covalent bonds extending from the “carbonyl carbon” to two other atoms.
Biomolecules containing carbonyls tend to be somewhat volatile, stimulating human senses
with strong odors, both pleasant and unpleasant.
● Carboxyl. Although it may be confusing, carbonyl and carboxyl functional groups (R―COOH)
have similar names for a reason. A carboxyl group contains both a carbonyl group and a
hydroxyl group, bonded to the same carbon atom. The name carboxyl derives from combining
these two terms, carbonyl + hydroxyl = carboxyl. With two oxygen atoms in this functional
group, organic molecules containing carboxyl groups are often highly polar and reactive,
although size and other functional groups present in an organic molecule are important in
determining polarity and solubility. Traditionally, organic compounds containing carboxyl
groups have been called carboxylic acids because of the tendency to release hydrogen ions
into a solution (lowering pH). Structural models of organic molecules containing carboxyl
groups are sometimes shown in the ionized form after release of a hydrogen ion (R―COO–).
2
THE BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
NAME: PERALTA, Jemina Ching L. DATE OF SUBMISSION: March 20, 2021
INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Ryan Jay Mostoles
QUESTIONS FOR RESEARCH:
1. Describe the chemistry of biological macromolecules
A macromolecule is a molecule that consists of one or more types of repeated 'building
blocks'. The building blocks are called monomeric units (monomers). The large molecules
necessary for life that are built from smaller organic molecules are called biological
macromolecules. There are four major classes of biological macromolecules (carbohydrates,
lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids), and each is an important component of the cell and performs
a wide array of functions. Combined, these molecules make up the majority of a cell’s mass.
Biological macromolecules are organic, meaning that they contain carbon. In addition, they may
contain hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and additional minor elements. Biological
macromolecules play a critical role in cell structure and function. Most (but not all) biological
macromolecules are polymers, which are any molecules constructed by linking together many
smaller molecules, called monomers. Typically all the monomers in a polymer tend to be the same,
or at least very similar to each other, linked over and over again to build up the larger
macromolecule. These simple monomers can be linked in many different combinations to produce
complex biological polymers, just as a few types of Lego blocks can build anything from a house
to a car.
Reference: Knowino. (2010). Macromolecular chemistry. Retrieved from
https://www.tau.ac.il/~tsirel/dump/Static/knowino.org/wiki/Macromolecular_chemistry.html
2. Describe the features of each major type of macromolecule and their representative
monomers
● Carbohydrates, which are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, are organic compounds
that serve as a source of energy for animals and humans. The general empirical structure for
carbohydrates is (CH2O). They are organic compounds organized in the form of aldehydes or
ketones with multiple hydroxyl groups coming off the carbon chain.Carbohydrates called
polysaccharides are made up of monomers called monosaccharides. Monosaccharides are
sugars that cannot be hydrolyzed further to yield simpler sugars. An example of a
monosaccharide would be glucose, which can polymerize into Amylose which is one of the
two components of starch.
● Lipids are made up of the same elements as carbohydrates: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
However, lipids tend to contain many more hydrogen atoms than oxygen atoms. Lipids include
fats, steroids, phospholipids, and waxes. One main characteristic of lipids is that they do not
dissolve in water. Lipids are usually triglyceride esters but contains other compounds like
phospholipids. They are not considered to be polymers as there is no 'repeating' chain of
1
, molecules.
● A protein molecule is very large compared with molecules of sugar or salt and consists of
many amino acids joined together to form long chains, much as beads are arranged on a
string. There are about 20 different amino acids that occur naturally in proteins. Proteins of
similar function have similar amino acid composition and sequence. Although it is not yet
possible to explain all of the functions of a protein from its amino acid sequence, established
correlations between structure and function can be attributed to the properties of the amino
acids that compose proteins.Proteins are long chains of amino acids. The monomer of proteins
are Amino acids. Amino acids are compounds which contain both an amino group and a
carboxylic group. Proteins are made up of 20 essential amino acids, which are also known as
α-amino acids since the two functional groups are joined at the α-carbon position. Now, these
essential amino acids polymerize in a condensation polymerization to yield your protein. An
example of an amino acid would be Glycine.
● Nucleic acids are polynucleotides—that is, long chainlike molecules composed of a series of
nearly identical building blocks called nucleotides. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogen-
containing aromatic base attached to a pentose (five-carbon) sugar, which is in turn attached
to a phosphate group. Nucleic acids are biopolymers that are essential for life. Its monomer
would be a nucleotide, which contains three of the following:
○ A five-carbon sugar
○ A phosphate group
○ A nitrogenous base
Together, these polymerize to give complex structures like RNA and DNA.
Reference: National Human Genome Institute. (2020). Biological Molecules. Retrieved from
https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary
3. Identify the functional groups of macromolecules
● Alcohols are biomolecules that contain at least one hydroxyl group (R―OH). The simplest of
all oxygen-containing functional groups, hydroxyl groups add polarity to organic molecules
because of the strong electronegative nature of oxygen atoms. Therefore, unless the
remainder of an organic molecule is very large and nonpolar, most alcohols dissolve in water
by forming hydrogen bonds.
● Carbonyls. Similarly, carbonyl groups in aldehydes and ketones usually increase polarity and
reactivity of organic molecules. The shorthand structural model for a carbonyl is >C=O, where
> represents two covalent bonds extending from the “carbonyl carbon” to two other atoms.
Biomolecules containing carbonyls tend to be somewhat volatile, stimulating human senses
with strong odors, both pleasant and unpleasant.
● Carboxyl. Although it may be confusing, carbonyl and carboxyl functional groups (R―COOH)
have similar names for a reason. A carboxyl group contains both a carbonyl group and a
hydroxyl group, bonded to the same carbon atom. The name carboxyl derives from combining
these two terms, carbonyl + hydroxyl = carboxyl. With two oxygen atoms in this functional
group, organic molecules containing carboxyl groups are often highly polar and reactive,
although size and other functional groups present in an organic molecule are important in
determining polarity and solubility. Traditionally, organic compounds containing carboxyl
groups have been called carboxylic acids because of the tendency to release hydrogen ions
into a solution (lowering pH). Structural models of organic molecules containing carboxyl
groups are sometimes shown in the ionized form after release of a hydrogen ion (R―COO–).
2
