Biomolecules and Lipids Overview

Biomolecules

• Biomolecules are organic molecules that are essential to all known forms of life.
• They're composed primarily of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.
• Four major classes of biomolecules are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
• These molecules carry out a vast array of functions within living organisms, from providing energy to catalyzing biochemical reactions.

Lipids

• Lipids are a diverse group of hydrophobic molecules. They're insoluble in water due to their primarily nonpolar structure.
• Lipids play crucial roles in energy storage, insulation, and structural components of cell membranes.
• Examples include fats, oils, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids.
• Fats and oils are primarily used for energy storage, with fats being solid at room temperature and oils being liquid.
• Phospholipids are critical components of cell membranes, forming a bilayer structure with hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails.
• Steroids, like cholesterol, have a unique four-ring structure and serve diverse functions, including hormone production and membrane stabilization.
• Triglycerides are the main form of fat storage in animals. They consist of three fatty acid molecules linked to a glycerol molecule.
• Fatty acids can be saturated, unsaturated, or polyunsaturated, influencing the physical properties of the lipid. Saturated fatty acids lack double bonds, while unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds.

Biomolecules: Further Details

• Carbohydrates are primarily composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, typically in a 1:2:1 ratio.
• Carbohydrates provide energy and structural support in organisms.
• Proteins are polymers of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds.
• They're crucial for diverse functions like catalysis (enzymes), transport, and structural support.
• Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) store and transmit genetic information. They're polymers of nucleotides, each composed of a sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.
• DNA stores genetic instructions for building and maintaining an organism, while RNA plays a role in protein synthesis and other cellular processes.