WOW Macromolecules

Polymers.

1. They all contain Carbon

1. Has 4 valence electrons

• What do all macromolecules have in common?

2. They are all polymers– A polymer is a long

molecule consisting of many similar building blocks called monomers

What do all macromolecules have in common?

What is a polymer?

How are polymers assembled?

3. They are all assembled by a Dehydration reaction (Condensation).

(a) Dehydration reaction in the synthesis of a polymer

HO H1 2 3 HO

HO H1 2 3 4

H

H2O

Short polymer Unlinked monomer

Longer polymer

Dehydration removes a watermolecule, forming a new bond

Figure5.2A

Dehydration (Condensation) Reaction

• Polymers are disassembled by– Hydrolysis

(b) Hydrolysis of a polymer

HO 1 2 3 H

HO H1 2 3 4

H2O

HHO

Hydrolysis adds a watermolecule, breaking a bond

Figure 5.2B

Examples in the cell 1. Carbohydrates- polysaccharide

Cellulose plant cell wallStarch- plants storage sugar

Chitin- exoskeleton of insects

Glycogen- how the body stores sugar

Carbohydrates

• Monomer = Monosaccharide (simple sugar)

• Type of bond = glycosidic linkage

• Function:– Storage and structural

support

Examples in the cell 2. Lipids

Oils – Lipids in plants

Fats- lipids in animals

Phospholipids -make up cell membrane

Steroids –Hormones in the cell.

Lipids

• Monomer = Fatty acid tail

• Type of bond = ester linkage

• Function: – Energy storage– Protection

Ester linkage

3. Proteins• Proteins - more than 50% of

dry mass of cells• Functions include:

– Enzymes– Structural– Storage– Transport– Hormonal (cellular

communication)– Receptor– Contractile (movement)– Defensive

Animation: Protein Functions

Proteins in mouse cells

Examples in the cell Proteins

Enzymes- speed up chemical reactions

Proteins

• Monomer = Amino Acid

• Type of bond = Peptide Bond

• Function:– Diverse and many

LE 5-20a

Amino acidsubunits

Carboxyl end

Amino endProteins level of structure1. Primary

LE 5-20b

Amino acidsubunits

b pleated sheet

helix

Proteins level of structure2. Secondary

LE 5-20d

Hydrophobicinteractions andvan der Waalsinteractions

Polypeptidebackbone

Disulfide bridge

Ionic bond

Hydrogenbond

Proteins level of structure3. Tertiary

LE 5-20e

b Chains

a ChainsHemoglobin

IronHeme

CollagenPolypeptide chain

PolypeptidechainProteins level

of structure4. Quaternary

Examples in the cell 4. Nucleic Acids

RNA – Carries genetic code to cell.

DNA stores genetic information

Nucleic Acids

• Monomer = Nucleotide

• Type of bond = Covalent and Hydrogen bond between bases

• Function: – Store genetic

information