MELC 22

• DNA and RNA are nucleic acids. Nucleic acid such as DNA and RNA is a type of biomolecules.
• biomolecules - There are certain complex organic molecules which form the basis of life. These substances are part of the chemical composition of all living organisms. These substances are also required for their growth, maintenance, and survival in extreme environments.
• macromolecules - large molecules composed of thousands of covalently connected atoms.
• CHNOPS - carbohydrates, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosporus, and sulfur.
• monomer - comes from the Greek word "monos" meaning "single" and "meros" meaning "part".
• monomer - a single unit forming a long chain of molecules creating a repeated pattern. the long chain molecule is composed of many atoms.
• monomers are joined together to form polymers. "-poly" comes from the Greek word "polus" meaning "many"
• polymer - is a long molecule consisting of many similar building blocks, or a repeated pattern of various building blocks.
• carbohydrates - molecules made aldehydes and ketones containing numerous hydroxyl groups.
• carbohydrates -

  • contains carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
  • most abundant organic molecules in nature
  • referred to as "saccharides"
• Carbohydrates along with being the chief energy source, in many animals, are instant sources of energy. Glucose is broken down by glycolysis/ Kreb’s cycle to yield ATP
• carbohydrates serve as energy stores, fuels, and metabolic intermediates. (stored as glycogen in animals and starch in plants)
• stored carbohydrates act as an energy source instead of proteins.
• carbohydrates are intermediates in the biosynthesis of fats and proteins.
• carbohydrates aid in the regulation of nerve tissue and the energy source for the brain.
• In animals, carbohydrates are an important constituent of connective tissues.
• carbohydrates that are rich in fiber content help to prevent constipation.
• monosaccharides - "mono" means one, is the simplest sugar and the basic subunit of a carbohydrate. the most common is glucose (also called as dextrose), fructose or fruit sugar and galactose (sugar in milk).
• disaccharides - consist of two mosaccharides that are chemically combined. the sugar we use to sweeten coffee is a disaccharide. it is also called sugar or table sugar.
• maltose - is an intermediate in the intestinal digestion of glycogen and starch, and is found in germinating grains.
• polysaccharides - are polymers containing multiple monosaccharides monomers. there are three common - starch, glycogen, and cellulose.
• protein are polymers of amino acids. Are made up of the elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur. 
• Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.
• lipids - have the “job” of storing energy for later use. are also found in hormones and cell membrane components. They are water-insoluble molecules (hydrophobic or water-fearing) that are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but soluble in organic solvents (alcohol, ether).
• lipids - are concentrated fuel reserve for the body.
• lipids are constituents of membrane structure and regulate the membrane permeability.
• lipids serve as a source of fat soluble vitamins.
• lipids are important cellular metabolic regulators.
• lipids protect the internal organs and serve as insulating materials.
• The most abundant of the lipids are fats and oils, also called triglycerides.
• Fats and oils are triglycerides that come from the combinations of glycerol and three fatty acids.
• Triglycerides are a type of fat (lipid) found in your blood.
• Steroids are another class of lipids whose molecules are composed of fused rings of atoms. The most important steroid is cholesterol.
• Lipids are the polymers of fatty acids that contain a long, non-polar hydrocarbon chain with a small polar region containing oxygen.
• saturated fats have no double bonds in their chemical structure. They are “saturated” with hydrogen atoms.
• unsaturated fats are typically liquid at room temperature. They differ from saturated fats in that their chemical structure contains one or more double bonds.
• nucleic acids are molecules that code for hereditary traits by controlling the production of protein. Like proteins, nucleic acids are long chains of polymers consisting of simpler units or monomers.
• • The monomers of nucleic acids are nucleotides. They are made up of three parts: a five-carbon sugar (pentose), a phosphate group, and a ring-shaped base containing nitrogen.