Biological Molecules

what you need to know!

MONOMER single repeating units that

are joined together to form POLYMER.

MONOMER

POLYMERISATION

POLYMER

Polymers

Monomers

Polysaccahrides Glucose etc. Proteins Lipids Amino acids Glycerol & fatty acids

CARBOHYDRATES

CARBOHYDRATES
MONOSACCAHRIDES
DISACCAHRIDES

POLYSACCAHRIDES

MONOSACCHARIDES
- A single sugar unit - Sweet and soluble - Contain carbon, hydrogen & oxygen

- Classified according to the number of carbons a molecule has.

MONOSACCHARIDES
TRIOSE 3 carbons

PENTOSE 5 carbons HEXOSE 6 carbons

MONOSACCHARIDES which is which?

MONOSACCHARIDES which formula?

Molecular formula C6H12O6 or C3H12O6 or C5H10O5 Structural formula

Triose or Pentose or Hexose

C6H12O6

C3H12O6

C5H10O5

You decide!

Straight chain forms

Pentose and hexose sugars exist in two forms:

Ring forms

Carbon Hydrogen
Oxygen

C6H12O6

GLUCOSE comes in 2 forms, this one; Here this H is above the carbon.

This is called (alpha) glucose.

Here this H is below the carbon. This is called (beta) glucose.

Structural Isomers

Both these molecules are glucose. Both have a molecular formula of C6H12O6. But they are structurally different.

Biological role of monosaccharides

As an energy source..
A large amount of energy is stored between the C-H bonds This is released to form ATP ATP is the energy currency of the cell

As building blocks..
Repeated glucose molecules build up; starch & glycogen Ribose (5C) forms part RNA Deoxyribose (5C) forms part DNA

Forming a disaccharide MALTOSE

Two glucose molecules C1 & C4 meet. OH (hydroxl grp) from C1 & H from C4 react. Water is expelled. A condensation reaction. This can be reversed by adding water.

Polysaccharides
Polymers with subunits of monosaccharides Repeated condensation reactions Normally 1000s of monomers Polysaccharides are not sugars
STARCH CELLULOSE GLYCOGEN

 Polymer of glucose. Plant storage polysaccharide. Made up of two types of substances; 1)Amylose 2) Amylopectin
Amylose Condensation reactions between glucose (1-4 links).

Starch

Forms from 1000s of condensation reactions.

Coiled springs are formed.

Spiral structure of amylose; part of starch.

Made up of two types of substances; 1)Amylose 2) Amylopectin Amylopectin Condensation reactions between glucose (1-4 links).
Branches of 1-6 links also exist.

Starch

Coiled springs with a branched structure are formed.

1-6 links form a branch structure

1-4 links form a helical structure

Amylopectin

Mostly 1-4 links. Some 1-6 links.

Starch grains are a mixture of amylose & amylopectin

Starch is a polysaccharide Starch it is a insoluble store of glucose

Starch is only found in plant cells, the animal equivalent is called GLYCOGEN.

GLYCOGEN is the storage polysaccharide in animals

It has 1-4 links and 1-6 links

Cellulose
Present in plant cell walls.

Has a slow decomposition.

It is the most abundant organic molecule on the planet!! It is mechanically very strong. It is a polymer of glucose

Cellulose
C1-4 links make up this polysaccharide. If C1 and C4 are to react, one glucose molecule needs to flip through 180o. It is this subtle difference that make cellulose so strong! This structure has H bonds holding it together

70 chains of glucose combine to form a MICROFIBRIL.

Lots of MICROFIBRILS are held together to form FIBRES.