Chemical composition

of the cell

Elements
All living and non-living things are made of
subtances called elements
A subtance
Composed of only one kind of atom
Cannot be broken down into simpler
subtances by a chemical reaction
Most common C-carbon, O-oxygen, Hhydrogen, N-nitrogen.

Elements
It accounts for about 96% of the mass of
human body.
Other elements make up the remaining 4%.
Organic compound-Chemical compounds
that contain the element carbon eg
carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic
acids.
Water is an inorganic compound-composed
of hydrogen and oxygen

The importance of
Organic compound

1
Amino acids

Proteins

2
Carbohydrates

Sugars, starch,
glycogen
and cellulose

3
Lipids

Fats, Oils, waxes,

Phospholipids and
steroils

So, what are the function of these organic compound???

Food Digestion

Digestion
1. The process that breaks
down complex food to simpler
soluble small molecules
complex

small

Starch

Proteins

glucose

Amino acids

Energy

What
What
happens
happens to
to
the
the food
food
you
you eat??
eat??

Synthesize
new protein

Lipids

Glycerol and
fatty acids

Plasma membrane
component

Consist largely of
Proteins, lipids and
carbohydrates

Complex organic
molecules
Small soluble
molecules

4
Nucleic acid

nucleotides

Phosphate group

Pentose sugar

Nitrogenous base

2 types of nucleic acids

DNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid)

-double stranded polynucleotide

-two strands
-strands twisted around eachother
-double helix

-Contains genetic information

-In chloroplast and mitochondria

RNA
( Ribonucleic acid)

-Found in cytoplasm,ribosomes

and the nucleus

-Used for protein synthesis
-genetic material for some viruss

The importance of water

Polar molecule
Transport medium
Medium for biochemical reactions
Lubrication
High cohesion

Polar molecule
The solvent of life
Dissolve many
ionic compound eg
salt, polar
molecules (sugar)

Transport medium
In blood ,lymphatic, excretory and
digestive systems and in vascular tissues
of plants.
Blood plasma is made up of 90% of water
Also contains many biological molecules
eg sugar, amino acid and respiratory
gases.
Waste products are excreted from the
body through the urine.

Biochemical reaction
Biochemical reactions take place in the
cell can only occur when there is water
Water used in many digestive reactions
Breaking down the proteins,lipids and
sugars.

Types of carbohydrates
Monosaccharides

Disaccharides

Polysaccharides

Monosaccharides
Monomers of carbohydrates
Simplest type of carbohydrates
Simple sugars (main source of energy for
many cells)
Long chain monosaccharides can combine with
Proteins and lipids to form glycoproteins and glycolipids
Reducing sugars and reducing agent
Glucose, fructose ( sweet fruit and honey) and
Galactose(milk)

Disaccharides
When 2 monosaccharides combine in
condensation process
What is condensation?
Maltose, Sucrose and Lactose
Condensation
Glucose + Glucose
Maltose + water
Hydrolysis

Condensation

Glucose + Fructose

Sucrose + water
Hydrolysis

Condensation

Glucose + Galactose

Lactose + water
Hydrolysis

Maltose- Malt sugar

Sucrose cane sugar

Polysaccharides
Hundreds of monosaccharides can
combine through condensation to form a
long chain of molecules.
Polymers formed by the condensation of
glucose monomers.
Insoluble in water due to large molecular
size
Do not taste sweet and do not crystallise
Starch, glycogen and cellulose

Starch

Is the main carbohydrate reserve in plants

Found in plants such as wheat , rice ,potatoes, bread and corn

Glycogen
The main reserve of carbohydrates in
animals and yeast
Human and animals store glycogen mainly
in the liver and muscle cells
Glycogen-----animal starch
The polysaccharide chains are highly
branched
What happens when poly+diluted acid n
enzymmatic reaction????

Hydrolysis

Polysaccharides + water

monosaccharides

Proteins
Large complex organic molecules
Made up of elements carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen and nitrogen
Some contains sulphur and phosphorus
Foods ( fish, meat, milk, nuts and eggs)

Proteins
Made up of monomers or units called
amino acids.
A dipeptide consists of two molecules of
amino acids that are linked by a peptide
bond through condensation.
condensation

Amino acid + amino acid

dipeptide + water
hydrolysis

Proteins
Further condensation can form a
polypeptide chain.
There are 20 types of amino acids in living
cells.
Proteins or polypeptides that are broken
down through hydrolysis into amino acids
by the digestive enzymes are absorbed
into the bloodstream.
Hydrolysis
Polypeptide + water

dipeptides or amino acids

Proteins structures

Primary structure
The linear sequence of amino acid in a
polypeptide chain
Different types of proteins have different
sequences of amino acids.
The sequences are determined by the
genetic code carried in the DNA in the
nucleus

Secondary structure
The polypeptide chain that is
coiled to form an alpha-helix or
folded into beta-pleated sheets
The coiling and folding of
polypeptide chain by hydrogen
bonds

Tertiary structure
Helix chain or beta-pleated sheets
are folded into 3D shape of
polypeptide
Eg:
enzymes,hormones,antibodies
and plasma proteins

Quarternary structure
Combination of two or more
tertiary structure polypeptide
chains to form one large and
complex protein molecule
For example: haemoglobin