M

• Monosaccharides

  Simple sugars in which there is one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms for each carbon atom in the molecule
• Monosaccharides


  • Used to produce and store energy for living organisms
• General formula for monosaccharides


  (C*H_{2}*O) n Where 'n' is a number of carbon atoms
• Triose sugars


  Have three carbon atoms and the general formula C_{3}*H_{6}*O_{3} such as glyceraldehyde and dihydroxyacetone
• Triose sugars

  • Important in mitochondria, where the respiration process breaks down glucose into triose sugars
• Pentose sugars


  Have five carbon atoms and the general formula C_{5}*H_{10}*O_{5} Ribose and deoxyribose are important pentose sugars
• Ribose and deoxyribose


  • Important in the nucleic acids ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which make up the genetic materials, respectively
• Hexose sugars

  Monosaccharides with 6 carbon atoms and the general formula C6H12O6
• Examples of hexose sugars

  • Glucose
  • Galactose
  • Mannose
  • Fructose
• Hexose sugars


  • Often taste sweet
  • Have a ring structure with two isomers (a and B)
• Energy creation in living things

  1. Break down monosaccharide glucose

  2. Harvest energy released from chemical bonds of glucose
• Glucose in food


  Can be absorbed and used directly in cells
• Cellulose


  A polysaccharide made up of several molecules of glucose joined by B1-4 glycosidic linkages<|>Insoluble in water<|>Main component of cell wall in plants<|>A fiber found in protective cell wall of plants
• Starch


  Made up of millions of glucose molecules by photosynthesis process of green plants<|>Basic chemical formula is (CHO)<|>Composed of two portions: Amylose (linear, 20%) and Amylopectin (branched, 80%)<|>Amylose is more soluble in water<|>Amylopectin is less soluble in water but soluble in hot water<|>Abundantly found in plants, seeds, fruits and tubers
• Glycogen


  Made up of millions of glucose molecules<|>Formed the main storage carbohydrate<|>Found in animal and fungi<|>In mammals, stored in the liver and muscle cells
• Chitin

  A complex carbohydrate, formed of nitrogen containing glucose molecules chains<|>Found in the exoskeleton of the arthropods and fungal cell wall<|>Plays a structural role similar to cellulose in plants: it gives shape and strength to the structure of the organism
• Lipids


  Another group of important biological molecules/present in all cellular organisms and some viruses. Unlike the other groups, they are highly heterogeneous in chemical nature.
• Simple lipids

  • Fats
  • Oils
  • Waxes
• Fats


  A solid form of lipids
• Oils


  The liquid form of lipids
• Lipid molecule


  • Composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
  • Structurally, most lipids (triglycerides) consist of one glycerol joined with three fatty acids
• Glycerol


  A three carbons simple alcohol. The glycerol backbone is found in those lipids known as glyceride.
• Glyceride lipids


  • Possess antimicrobial and antiviral properties, used in wound, and burn treatments
• Fatty acids


  Generally made up of 12 to 22 carbon atoms. They have many important functions in the body, including energy storage.
• If glucose is not available for energy


  The body uses fatty acids to fuel the cells instead
• Lipids that play an important role in a healthy diet


  • Animal lipids (often saturated fats, which cause problem in human health except in fish oil)
  • Plant lipids (often unsaturated fats, which promote human health. Found in seeds, nuts and vegetable oils)
• Cofactor


  A non-protein chemical compound or metallic ion that assists in an enzyme's activity as a catalyst
• Types of cofactors

  • Inorganic cofactor
  • Organic cofactor (coenzyme)
• Coenzyme NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine dinucleotide)


  Used in respiration, comes from nicotinic acid, a member of the vitamin B complex
• Nucleotides


  Building blocks of nucleic acids, consisting of phosphate, sugar, and nitrogenous bases.
• DNA


  A double-stranded molecule containing the genetic instructions for the development and function of all living organisms.
• RNA


  A single-stranded molecule involved in protein synthesis, mRNA transfer, and gene regulation
• Nucleic acids


  Hereditary biomolecules which are essential to all known forms of life
• Nucleic acids


  Hereditary biomolecules which are essential to all known forms of life
• Viruses also have nucleic acid
• Nucleic acids


  • Contain the same elements as proteins: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorous
• DNA


  Encodes the information the cell needs to make proteins
• RNA


  Helps to translate the genetic code into protein synthesis
• Nucleic acids


  Composed of several molecules of nucleotides
• Nucleotide


  Contains a nitrogenous base, a pentose sugar, and a phosphate group