Shaina Song
What is a Macromolecule?
A macromolecule is a molecule that consists of large biological polymers, and the polymers are made up of smaller molecular subunits called monomers. Their functions are to store energy and/or be used for structure. There are four main classes of macromolecules which are lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are one of the major macromolecules that are essential for the building blocks of life. They are often called “sugars” and are found in essential everyday needs such as fruits, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and more. Carbohydrates, also called saccharides, are molecular compounds made from three elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They can function as a source of energy for the body, building blocks for polysaccharides and components of other molecules such as DNA, RNA and ATP. There are three main types of carbohydrates which are Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, and Polysaccharides.
Monosaccharides, known as simple sugars, are the simplest carbohydrates and are also the building blocks from much larger carbohydrates. These simple sugars have a molecular formula (CH2O)n, where n can be 3,5 or 6. The number of carbons within a monosaccharide are classified as trioses (n=3), pentoses (n=5), and hexoses (n=6). If the monosaccharide contains an aldehyde it is called an aldoses. However, if the monosaccharide contains a ketone then it is called a ketoses.
Disaccharides are products of two monosaccharides that’s been reacted. Most sugars are found to be disaccharides rather than monosaccharides. There are three types of disaccharides which are sucrose, lactose, and maltose which were all formed from a specific monosaccharide. Disaccharides tend to be soluble in water, but they are too large to enter through the cell membrane by diffusion.
Polysaccharides are made up of monosaccharides that have been chained together and each building block structure is called a monomer. The properties of a polysaccharide molecule depend on its length, additional side chain units, folding of the chain, and whether the chain is straight or coiled.
Nucleic Acids
Nucleic acids are one of the four major macromolecules that are essential for the building blocks of life. These molecules are called information molecules because they are large molecules that can carry information in the sequence of nucleotides that make them up. This molecular information in is much like the information carried by the letter in an alphabet, but in the case of nucleic acids, the information is in chemical form. The nucleic acid, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), is the genetic material in all organisms. It is transmitted from parents to offspring, and it contains the information needed to specify amino acid sequence of all the proteins synthesized in an organism. The nucleic acid, RNA (ribonucleic acid), has multiple functions; it is a key player in protein synthesis and the regulation of gene expression.
Works Cited
“Background on Carbohydrates and Sugars” International Food Information Council Foundation, n.d.Web. 26 Feb. 2017. < http://www.foodinsight.org/Background_on_Carbohydrates_Sugars>
“Carbohydrates” Royal Society of Chemistry, n.d.Web.26 Feb.2017 < http://www.rsc.org/Education/Teachers/Resources/cfb/carbohydrates.htm>
“Macromolecules” Olemiss University, n.d.Web. 26 Feb. 2017 < http://www.olemiss.edu/courses/bisc102/macromol.html>
“Nucleic Acids Encode Genetic Information in Their Nucleotide Sequence” Biology How Life Works,n.d.Web.26 Feb.2017 < https://reg.macmillanhighered.com/Account/Unauthenticated?>