BIOL 2020 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Carboxylic Acid, Amphiphile, Choline
Biological Macromolecules and Membrane Structure
September 14, 2015
Macromolecules are large structures with specific functions including proteins, nucleic acids,
polysaccharides and lipids. All of these (except for lipids) are built up from smaller subunits.
Monomers -> Polymers
Building Blocks of Macromolecules: Through polymerization
• Carbohydrates – polysaccharides
• Amino acids – proteins
• Nucleotides – nucleic acids
• Fatty acids – lipids
Carbohydrates pg. 43-47
• Monosaccharides – Disaccharides – Oligosaccharides – Polysaccharides
*hooked together by glycosidic bonds
Lipids pg.47-49
• Fats
o Triacylglycerol
o Glycerol + 3 fatty acid tails (chain of hydrocarbon with carboxyl group that attaches)
o Soluble in a non polar solvent but not soluble in water
o Hydrocarbon chain – hydrophobic
o Carboxyl group (COOH) – hydrophilic
o *Therefore, amphipathic (hydrophilic/phobic)
• Steroids
o Formed by 4 rings with a carboxyl group
o Ex. cholesterol, testosterone and estrogen
o Amphipathic
• Phospholipids
o Polar head group + glycerol backbone + 2 fatty acid chains (diaclyglycerol)
o Polar head group – charged (ex. Choline + phosphate)
o Amphipathic – partially dissolve in water / non polar solvent
o Important for membrane structure
Proteins pg. 50-77
• The working molecules of the cell, functions include:
o Enzymes
▪ Catalyze other reactions in a cell
o Regulation
▪ Regulate what occurs in the cell
o Structural
▪ Make up parts of the cell
• Three-dimensional structure of protein creates specificity
o Linear sequence of amino acids determine the function
• Amino Acids:
o R group give characteristics to each amino acid
o Table of R Groups – pg. 52… they vary in:
▪ Size
▪ Shape
▪ Charge
▪ Hydrophobicity
▪ Reactivity
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Document Summary
Macromolecules are large structures with specific functions including proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides and lipids. All of these (except for lipids) are built up from smaller subunits. Monomers -> polymers: carbohydrates polysaccharides, amino acids proteins, nucleotides nucleic acids, fatty acids lipids, monosaccharides disaccharides oligosaccharides polysaccharides. Lipids pg. 47-49: fats, triacylglycerol, glycerol + 3 fatty acid tails (chain of hydrocarbon with carboxyl group that attaches, soluble in a non polar solvent but not soluble in water, hydrocarbon chain hydrophobic, carboxyl group (cooh) hydrophilic. *therefore, amphipathic (hydrophilic/phobic: formed by 4 rings with a carboxyl group, ex. cholesterol, testosterone and estrogen, amphipathic. Steroids: phospholipids, polar head group + glycerol backbone + 2 fatty acid chains (diaclyglycerol, polar head group charged (ex. Choline + phosphate: amphipathic partially dissolve in water / non polar solvent. Specific linear sequence of amino acids that constitutes the protein. Sequence is coded by genes: determines the overall 3d structure that gives functional specificity.
