BABS1201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Covalent Bond, Macromolecule, Monomer
17 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
BABS1201
9TH MARCH 2018
MACROMOLECULES I
PROVIDE A BROAD DEFINITION OF THE TERM “MACROMOLECULE” – (CHAPTER 5, PG 66 AND CONCEPT 5.1)
× Macromolecules: (except for some lipids), are chain-like molecules called polymers
× Polymers: long molecules consisting of many similar or identical subunits linked together by
covalent bonds
× Monomers: the repeating subunits or building blocks comprising polymers are smaller
molecules called monomers
EXPLAIN THE WAY IN WHICH MACROMOLECULES ARE GENERALLY SYNTHESISED AND BROKEN DOWN BY
ORGANISMS – (CHAPTER 5, CONCEPT 5.1)
× Synthesis of a polymer involves loss of water (dehydration) to form a new covalent bond
× Polymer breakdown involves addition of water (hydrolysis) to split a covalent bond
× Both these reactions are catalysed by enzymes
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE GENERAL STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF CARBOHYDRATES AND LIPIDS – (CHAPTER 5,
CONCEPT 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5)
× Carbohydrates (monosaccharides- one molecule)- the location of the carbonyl group (in
orange) varies, and determines whether the sugar is an aldose (e.g. glucose) or a ketose
(e.g. fructose)
× Diversity can also be found on the spatial arrangements around the asymmetric carbons
(e.g. glucose vs. galactose)
× Carbohydrates (CH2O) include:
- Monosaccharides e.g. glucose
- Disaccharides (two monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic bond) e.g. maltose
Macromolecule
Monomer (Subunit)
Carbohydrate
(often abbreviated
as ‘CHO’)
Monosaccharides (simple
sugars)
Lipid
Fatty acids (but some lipids
are not polymers)
Protein
Amino acids
Nucleic acids
Nucleotides (with nitrogenous
bases G, A, T, C or U)
Document Summary
Provide a broad definition of the term macromolecule (chapter 5, pg 66 and concept 5. 1) Macromolecules: (except for some lipids), are chain-like molecules called polymers. Polymers: long molecules consisting of many similar or identical subunits linked together by covalent bonds. Monomers: the repeating subunits or building blocks comprising polymers are smaller molecules called monomers. Explain the way in which macromolecules are generally synthesised and broken down by. Synthesis of a polymer involves loss of water (dehydration) to form a new covalent bond. Polymer breakdown involves addition of water (hydrolysis) to split a covalent bond. Briefly describe the general structural features of carbohydrates and lipids (chapter 5, Fatty acids (but some lipids are not polymers) Nucleotides (with nitrogenous bases g, a, t, c or u) Carbohydrates (monosaccharides- one molecule)- the location of the carbonyl group (in orange) varies, and determines whether the sugar is an aldose (e. g. glucose) or a ketose (e. g. fructose)
