Fats and Oils

Primary Metabolites

• 92 elements occur naturally on Earth, but only six (CHNOPS: Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur) make up 99% of the weight of all living matter.

Carbon

• Carbon is a key element due to its ability to form long chains and rings, making it a crucial component of organic molecules.

Organic Molecules

• Vital metabolites include carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins.

Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates are classified into three types: monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.
• Monosaccharides are single sugars, building blocks of energy, and dissolve in water (e.g., glucose, fructose, ribose).
• Disaccharides are two sugars connected together and act as a transport form of sugar in plants.
• Polysaccharides are many sugars connected together and serve as energy storage molecules (e.g., starch) and structural molecules (e.g., cellulose).

Lipids

• Lipids are hydrophobic (insoluble in water) and function as energy storage molecules (fats and oils) and structural molecules (waxes, steroids).
• Fats and oils are energy storage molecules found in seeds, fruits, and provide insulation.
• Saturated fats have no double carbon bonds, while unsaturated fats have one or more double carbon bonds.
• Waxes are found on the surface of leaves and in bee's wax.
• Steroids are composed of four interconnected hydrocarbon rings and function as hormones and stabilize phospholipid tails in cell membranes.

Nucleic Acids

• Nucleic acids are chains of nucleotides and include DNA, RNA, and ATP.
• DNA is Deoxyribonucleic Acid, RNA is Ribonucleic Acid, and ATP is Adenosine triphosphate.

Proteins

• Proteins are chains of amino acids and are vital for the continuation of life on Earth.
• Proteins catalyze most chemical reactions in the cell, provide structural elements, and help bind cells together into tissues.
• They also act as contractile elements, transport vital materials, and protect animals from disease through antibodies and interferon.
• Proteins control gene expression and are incredibly diverse in size, shape, and charge.
• There are 20 known amino acids in nature that make up proteins.