Biomolecule Building Blocks: Flashcards and Quiz

Study Notes

Biomolecules

Biomolecules are substances produced by cells and living organisms, serving as the building blocks of life and performing important functions.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates serve as an important source of chemical energy in organisms and have a chemical structure of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in the ratio Cₓ(H₂O)ᵧ or (1:2:1).
Classification of carbohydrates includes:
- Monosaccharides
- Disaccharides
- Polysaccharides

Monosaccharides

Monosaccharides are simple sugars that constitute the building blocks of more complex sugars.
Examples of monosaccharides include:
- Glucose (abundant in plant sources, and makes up sweeteners like corn sugar and grape sugar)
- Fructose (found in many fruits and honey)
- Galactose (similar to glucose in chemical structure)

Disaccharides

Disaccharides are formed when two monosaccharides are joined by glycosidic linkage.
Examples of disaccharides include:
- Sucrose (formed by the combination of glucose and fructose)
- Lactose (formed by the combination of glucose and galactose, with a chemical formula of C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁)
- Maltose (formed when two glucose monomers join)

Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides are major classes of biomolecules, consisting of many monosaccharide units.
Examples of polysaccharides include:
- Glycogen (made up of a large chain of molecules, found in animals and fungi)
- Cellulose (found in the cell walls of plants)
- Starch (found largely in plants, fruits, seeds, etc.)

Lipids

Lipids are substances made of hydrocarbons, highly soluble in alcohol, but usually insoluble in water.
Types of lipids include:
- Triglycerides (make up over 95% of lipids in the diet, commonly found in fried foods, butter, milk, cheese, and some meats)
- Phospholipids (make up about 2% of dietary lipids, water-soluble, and found in both plants and animals)
- Sterols (the least common type of lipid, with cholesterol being a well-known example)
- Fatty Acids (essential components of some lipids, with types including:
  - Saturated (has the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms attached to every carbon atom)
  - Unsaturated (has one or more carbon-carbon double bonds)

Proteins

Proteins are composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, and can also contain other elements like sulfur and phosphorus.
The building blocks of proteins are amino acids.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins are organic molecules that regulate body processes such as digestion, absorption, metabolism, and circulation.
Classification of vitamins includes:
- Water-soluble vitamins (vitamins C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12)
- Fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K)

Nucleic Acids

Nucleic acids are responsible for protein synthesis.
Types of nucleic acids include:
- Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) (contains deoxyribose and is a double helix)
- Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) (contains ribose and is a single helix)

Description

Test your knowledge on biomolecules, including carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins, which are essential for life and perform vital functions in living organisms. Learn about their structures, functions, and classification.