6 Biological Molecules-S.pdf - Biological Molecules What...

Biological Molecules 1
Biological Molecules
What are the building blocks of life?
Why?
From the smallest single-celled organism to the tallest tree, all life depends on the properties and reactions
of four classes of organic (carbon-based) compounds— carbohydrates , lipids , proteins , and nucleic
acids . These organic molecules are the building blocks of all living things, and are responsible for most of
the structure and functions of the body, including energy storage, insulation, growth, repair, communica-
tion, and transfer of hereditary information. Simple organic molecules can be joined together to form all
the essential biological molecules needed for life.
Model 1 – Molecules of Life
Carbohydrates (monosaccharides)
Lipids
Proteins (amino acids)
Nucleic acids (nucleotides)
CH
C
H
CH
C
O CH
CH
2
OH
OH
H
OH
OH
HO
HC
CH C
H
C
O
OH
HO
OH
CH
2
OH
CH
2
OH
CH
CH
C
O CH
OH
H
OH OH
HO
CH
CH
2
OH
Glucose Fructose Galactose
N
O
O HO
OH
O
P
N
N
N
NH
2
H
CH
C
2
C CH
C
C
C
C
C
OH
CH
C
R
H
N C
O
OH
C
H
N C
O
OH
CH
2
SH
C
CH
3
H
N C
O
OH
H
H
H
H
H
H
C
C
C
H
H
OH
H OH
H
H OH
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH CH
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
3
O
CH O C
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
3
O C CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH CH CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH
3
O C CH
2
CH
2
CH
2
CH CH
O
O
(CH
2
)
14
CH
3
HO C
O
(CH
2
)
7
CH=CH(CH
2
)
7
CH
3
HO C
O
C (CH
2
)
12
CH
3
HO
O
Triglyceride (fat or oil)
Fatty acids
Glycerol
Alanine Amine group Cysteine
Carboxylic acid group
Variable R side chain
Phosphate group
Sugar
Nitrogen base

2
1. Use Model 1 to show which atoms are present in each type of molecule by listing the symbol for
each atom included. Carbohydrate has been done for you.