Biological macromolecules

BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES1CELL COMPOSITIONCell composition~70 – 95% waterMost of the remainder of the cell is composed of organic moleculesMolecules containing both carbon (C) and hydrogen (H)2MACROMOLECULESThere are four major classes of large biological moleculesCarbohydratesLipidsNucleic acidsProteins3MACROMOLECULESThree of the four classes of macromolecules are polymersLong molecules assembled from many similar or identical monomers4MACROMOLECULESMonomers are covalently linked via condensation reactionsa.k.a. Dehydration reactionsTwo monomers are covalently linked to each other through the loss of a water molecule-H is removed from one monomer-OH is removed from the other monomerH2O is formed5MACROMOLECULESPolymers can be disassembled into monomers via hydrolysis reactionsEssentially a condensation reaction in reverseCovalent bond between monomers is broken through the addition of water-H is added to one monomer-OH is added to the other monomer6MACROMOLECULES7REFERENCESCampbell, Neil A. and Reese, Jane B. Biology, 7th edition. Pearson Education, Inc. 2005.Campbell, Neil A., Reese, Jane B., Taylor, Martha R., and Simon, Eric J. Biology, Concepts and Connections, 5th edition. Pearson Education, Inc. 2006.Nester, Eugene W., Anderson, Denise G., Roberts, C. Evans Jr., and Nester, Martha T. Microbiology, A Human Perspective, 5th edition. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2007.Limson, Janice. 2002.