Biological
Macromolecules
This lesson was designed and written with you in
mind. It is here to help you explain how the
structures of biological macromolecules such as
carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acid, and proteins
determine their properties and functions. The scope
of this lesson permits it to be used in many different
learning situations.
After going through 1. distinguish between
this lesson, you are carbohydrates, proteins,
lipids, and nucleic acids;
expected to:
2. summarize the general
characteristics of each
biomolecule; and
3. relate the structures of the
biomolecules with their
properties.
Biological
Macromolecules
Biological macromolecules are large, organic
molecule such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and
nucleic acids. Most of them are organic compounds
and the functional group determines their chemical
properties. Biomolecules have a huge variety of
functions, such as storing energy, protection, etc. Now
be ready with your journey to the different
biomolecules, their structures, and functions found in
your food.
Analyze the Nutritional Facts of a food
product given below and rank the nutrients
needed by the following patients based on
importance.
A. a patient with hypertension
B. a patient renal failure
C. a patient with diabetes mellitus
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 32 g
Serving Per Pack 1
Food is a source of molecules that are needed for life.
These are biological molecules. What you eat belongs
to biomolecules. There are four biological molecules
that make up all of life. Now, I have here a word hunt for
your warm up.
Look for the words and write your answer:
biomolecule, carbohydrate, lipid, protein, and nucleic
acid.
Activity 1.1 Macromolecule Plates and Glass
1. Write inside the first plate an example of food rich in
carbohydrates that you have eaten a while ago and tell
us what you feel after eating it.
What did you feel after eating the food rich in
carbohydrates?
__________________________________________________
2. Write inside the second plate an example of food
rich in lipids that you have eaten
a while ago.
What did you feel after eating the food rich in lipids?
________________________________________________
3. Write inside the third plate an example of food rich in
protein that you have eaten a while ago and tell us
what you feel about what you have eaten.
What did you feel after eating the protein - rich food?
_________________________________________________
4. Write inside the glass the function of nucleic acids.
Terms and Definitions
Monosaccharide – simplest form of carbohydrates
Monomer – a molecule that can react with other molecule to form
very large molecules or polymers
Peptide – short chain of amino acid monomer link by peptide bonds
Hormones – special chemical messengers that are created in the
endocrine gland
Amino acids – organic compounds that combined to form proteins
Enzymes – proteins which make the biochemical reaction fast
Nucleotide – made up of three components: nitrogen-containing
base, five-carbon sugar, and a phosphate group
Phospholipids - contain glycerol, two-fatty acids, and a phosphate
group
Biological Macromolecules
1. Carbohydrates
The word carbohydrate may be broken down to
carbon and hydrate. Another term for carbohydrate
is saccharide. Carbohydrates are classified either as
simple or complex. Simple sugars are
monosaccharide and disaccharides. Complex sugars
are polysaccharides
Carbohydrates are the primary energy
source of the human body. The different
saccharides that humans eat are converted
to glucose which can be readily used by the
body. The excessive consumption of
carbohydrates is converted to glycogen
which is stored in the liver and in muscles.
Glycogen is a slow-releasing carbohydrate.
Monosaccharide (one saccharide)
Disaccharides (two saccharides)
Polysaccharides (many saccharides)
Carbohydrates
They are made from carbon, hydrogen,
and oxygen.
Monomer: saccharides
Examples: rice, cereal, potatoes, fruits,
pastas
Function: main energy source of the body
2. Lipids or Fats
Lipids or fats are important nutrients in your body but
eating too many especially unhealthy fats such as
saturated fats and trans fats can lead to heart disease,
cancer, and obesity. Lipids also serve other functions
such as material for cell membrane, insulation to
maintain body temperature, aid in digestion, and as
signal molecules.
There are different classifications of lipids:
triglyceride, phospholipid, wax, and steroid. The lipid
family is one of the most varied in terms of structure,
but they share the common property of being
insoluble in water.
Fat and oil are the most common examples of lipids.
They are under triglycerides because they are
composed of glycerol and three fatty acids.
Fat refers to solid triglyceride usually from animal
sources such as meat, milk, butter, margarine, eggs,
and cheese. Oil refers to liquid triglycerides from
plant sources. Examples are olive oil, corn oil,
sunflower oil, and soybean oil. Animal fats contain
high percentages of saturated fatty acids while plant
oils are mostly unsaturated fatty acids.
Lipids
They are made from carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen
They are soluble (dissolve) in oil but are
insoluble (don’t dissolve) in water.
Examples: fats and oils
Function: long-term storage of energy in the
body
Monomer: fatty acid
3. Proteins
Proteins are composed of four elements, namely:
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Sulfur and
other metals are sometimes also found in proteins. If
carbohydrates are made up of saccharides, proteins
are made up of amino acids.
Examples of proteins and their functions are:
1. Keratin is a structural protein found in hair, skin,
and nails.
2. Fibroin / Silk protein - Fibroin is found in silk. Silk
has a smooth and soft texture. It is one of the
strongest natural fibers that have high resistance to
deformation. It is also a good insulating material.
3. Collagen is a major insoluble fibrous protein found in
connective tissues such as
tendons, ligaments, skin, cartilage and the cornea of
the eye. It comprises as much as 30% of proteins in
animals.
4. Enzymes function to catalyze chemical reactions.
They either speed up a reaction, lower the needed
energy for a reaction to take place, or bind substances
to their specific partners.
Examples of enzymes
a. Lipase - help in digestion of fats
b. Pepsin - help in breaking down proteins into peptides
(smaller units)
c. Sucrase - also called invertase; help in the digestion
of sugars and starches
5. Myoglobin is a polypeptide that stores oxygen in
muscles. It contains a heme
group which has an iron where the oxygen is stored.
Proteins
They are made from carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and
nitrogen
Proteins are made up of amino acids combined
through a dehydration link called a peptide bond.
Monomer: amino acid
Two classes:
1. Saturated fats have two carbons attached to each
carbon (except the one at the end). Saturated fats
are unhealthy fats like butter.
2. Unsaturated fats are missing at least one
hydrogen and are curl in shape. The unsaturated fats
are healthy, and it include oils.
4. Nucleic Acids
Nucleic acids play an essential role in the storage,
transfer, and expression of genetic information. Nucleic
acid was discovered by a 24-year-old Swiss physician
named Friedrich Miescher in 1868. He was puzzled that
an unknown substance in white blood cells did not
resemble carbohydrates, proteins, or lipids. He was able
to isolate the substance from the nucleus and initially
called it nuclein. He eventually was able to break down
nuclein into protein and nucleic acids. He found out that
nucleic acids contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,
nitrogen, and phosphorus.
The most common examples of nucleic acids are DNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). DNA
is a nucleic acid that carries the genetic code of
organisms. It is fondly termed as the blueprint of life.
RNA, on another hand, carries the information from the
DNA to the cellular factories for the synthesis of
proteins. If carbohydrates are composed of saccharide
units, proteins of amino acids, and lipids of fatty acids,
nucleic acids are composed of nucleotides. Nucleic
acids are also known as polynucleotides.
Three parts of nucleotide:
1. Nitrogenous base
2. Five-carbon carbohydrate or sugar
3. Phosphate group
Nucleic Acids
They are made from carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus.
Monomer: nucleotide
Examples: DNA and RNA
Function: involves the genetic materials,
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) and
Ribonucleic Acid (RNA). DNA is the
blueprint of life because it contains
instructions on how to make proteins in the
body. How about RNA?
Structures of the Different Biomolecules
Remember this mnemonic device of biomolecules:
CHO CHO CHON CHONP
C stands for the element Carbon
N stands for the element Nitrogen
O stands for the element Oxygen
H stands for the element Hydrogen
P stands for the element Phosphorus
Assignment: Meal Plan
Think of a 3 – day healthy meal plan for a teenager like
you following the table below. Make sure that you
choose the right kind of food containing carbohydrates,
proteins, and lipids.
