THE BUILDING

BLOCKS OF
LIFE

M A R N E L L E B . S O R N I T O

M I N D A N A O S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y AT
N A A W A N
PROTEINS
• Make up the most remaining biomass of living
cells.
• Important in cell structure, storage reserves,
enzymes
• Consist of one or more polypeptides and may
include sugars or other kinds of small
molecules.
• Polypeptides- a chain of amino acids linked
together by carbon-nitrogen bonds called
peptide bonds.
All amino acid molecules contain an
amino (-NH2) and a carboxyl (-
COOH) functional group.
essential amino acid - that cannot
Nonessential means that our bodies
be synthesized from scratch by the
can produce the amino acid, even if
organism fast enough to supply its
we do not get it from the food we
demand, and must therefore come
eat.
from the diet.
Primary – The primary structure of a
protein is the linear polypeptide chain
formed by the amino acids in a particular
sequence.

Secondary – The secondary structure of a

protein is formed by hydrogen bonding in
the polypeptide chain.

Tertiary – The tertiary structure is the final

3-dimensional shape acquired by the
polypeptide chains under the attractive
and repulsive forces of the different R-
groups of each amino acid. This is a coiled
structure that is very necessary for protein
functions
.
Quaternary – This structure is exhibited
only by those proteins which have multiple
polypeptide chains combined to form a
large complex. The individual chains are
then called subunits.
STRUCTURAL PROTEINS

• Cell walls also contain 2% - 10%

protein called extensin – which plays
a roles in the expansion of cell walls.
• It is a hydroxyproline-rich
glycoprotein (∼30–50%
carbohydrate) with a protein
backbone containing significant
proportion of Ser-(Hyp)4–6 sequence.
STORAGE PROTEINS
• They are stored mostly in seeds
and are used as a source if
nutrition for the development of
seedlings.
• Seed storage proteins in soybeans
and cereals are major source of
nutrition to humans and cattle
• Example: zein in corn
• Gliadin and Glutenin in wheat
STORAGE PROTEINS
• Protease inhibitors – they inhibit proteases,
the enzymes that digest proteins.
- making some seeds have undesirable
nutritional effect to animals that eat them. – ex.
Some cereal grains
• Some are also toxic like ricin D – castor bean
and abrin – rosary pea
ENZYMES

• Most proteins are enzymes, which are the

catalysts for biochemical reactions.
• They are often remain active even after they
are removed from the cell such as Alpha-
amylase, papain and chrymopapain (from
papaya)
• Papain – major ingredient in meat tenderizers
• Chrymopapain – drug used to treat the slippage of a
disk in spinal column
NUCLEIC ACIDS

• It is the most complex biological

polymers
• Consists of nucleotides – contain a
phosphate group, a dimple sugar
and a nitrogen containing base.
• Two types: DNA and RNA
RNA - is a polymeric molecule
that is essential for most
biological functions, either by
performing the function itself or
by forming a template for
production of proteins.
DNA - the molecule that carries
genetic information for the
development and functioning
of an organism.
LIPIDS
• are fatty compounds that perform a variety of
functions in your body.
• Common structure is large proportion of non-
polar hydrocarbon groups –often made from
polymers of a two-carbon compound called
acetate.
Major plant lipids:
• Oils
• Phospholipids
• Waxes
LIPIDS: 1. OILS
• Oils are fats at room temperature.
• Fat – combination of a molecule of glycerol
with three long-chain organic acids called
fatty acids.
• Example of fat: triacylglyceride – abundant
in seeds (commercially harvested)
• Can be saturated and unsaturated.
LIPIDS: 2. PHOSPHOLIPIDS
• These are lipids found in
membranes where it consist of
two: fatty acids, a glycerol unit
and a phosphate group which is
esterified to an organic molecule
(X) such as choline, ethanolamine,
inositol, etc.
• Help in the control of passage of
non polar and polar substances
LIPIDS: 3. WAXES AND WAXLIKE
S U B S TA N C E
• Waxes – complex mixture of fatty
acids linked to long-chain alcohols
• Epicuticular wax – waxes that
comprises the outermost layer of
leaves, fruits and herbaceous
stems.
• cuticular wax – waxes that are
embedded in the cuticle.
S E C O N DA R Y M E TA B O L I T E S
• Secondary metabolites are
substances manufactured by plants
that make them competitive in their
own environment.
• Why does your plants make
secondary metabolites?
S E C O N DA R Y M E TA B O L I T E S
• These phytochemicals can be
antimicrobial, act as
attractants/repellents, or as
deterrents against herbivores
PSM: 1. ALKALOIDS
• It includes alkaline substances that contains
nitrogen as part of ring structure.
• A diverse goup of secondary products often
produced dramatic physiological effects in
humans and other animals.
• Examples: morphine, coniine, quinine,
tomatine.

Morphine from Opium poppy

PSM: 2. TERPENOIDS
• Are dimers and polymers of five-carbon
precursors called isoprene units
• Smallest terpenoids is monoterpenes (2
isoprene units)
• Sterols – one subclass of triterpenes, which
are chemically similar to steroidal hormones in
humans
Examples: carotenoids, rubber lycopene
PSM: 3. PHENOLICS
• Compounds that contain a fully unsaturated,
six carbon ring link to an oxygen
• examples: flavonoids such as anthocyanins -
causing red and blue pigments of many
flowers ; and rutin – from eucalyptus or
buckwheat leaves
Rutin is an activator to improve plant
disease resistances