MBEYA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

DEPARTMENT: APPLIED SCIENCE.

PROGRAM: LABORATORY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

MODULE NAME: APPLIED BIOCHEMISTRY

MODULE CODE: NSLT 08201

LEVEL: UQF8 THIRD YEAR

MODULE FACILITATOR: FELISTA MAGESA.

NAME OF STUDENT: MGETA B SULUSI

REGISTRATION NUMBER: 20100733070053

QUESTION.

Discuss in details the chemical properties of biological molecules

(nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids)

Biological molecules are biomolecules of life which forms the basis of life and acts as the
building blocks in all living things, they include nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), proteins,
carbohydrates and lipids. The biological molecules possess both physical and chemical
properties. The chemical properties of these biological molecules are as follows;

i. Nucleic acids. Nucleic acids are macromolecules that are found in the cell of living
things. They are formed by polymerization of repeating units called nucleotides. The
nucleotides are joined by phosphodiester bond and they forms the backbone of the
nucleic acid.. Nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic acid which make up the
genetic material of all living things. Nucleic acids includes deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
and ribonucleic acid (RNA)

Chemical properties of RNA

(i) It is more reactive than DNA due to presence of oxygen at its carbon number 2
(ii) It is less stable in alkaline condition due to its high reactivity.
(iii) RNA is single strand and more easily subject to attack by enzymes.

Properties of DNA.

(i) DNA is polar in nature and therefore soluble in water. It contains highly charged
phosphate sugar backbone give its polarity. On the other hand, in presence of salt and
alcohol DNA is insoluble.
(ii) Denaturation and renaturation. When heated both DNA strands denature and when
cooled, they can renature. The melting temperature that varies depending on the precise
DNA sequence is that temperature at which these strands are permanently separated.
(iii) Absorption. DNA bases can absorb ultraviolet light and this absorption can be
measured by a spectrophotometer. The amount of ultraviolet light absorbed increases as
the order of bases increases.
 ii. Proteins.

Proteins are polymers of amino acids joined by peptide bond. Protein is made during protein
synthesis in living cells in the ribosome by translation process of the messenger RNA which
carries information from the nucleus about the kind of protein to be synthesized.

Chemical Properties of Proteins.

(i) Hydrolysis Proteins are hydrolyzed by a variety of hydrolytic agents; First can be
hydrolyzed by using acidic agents. Example upon hydrolysis with concentrated HCl
yield amino acids in the form of their hydrochlorides.
(ii) Esterification
Reaction with alkalis forms salts whereas reaction with alcohols forms ester
(Esterification) reaction with amines.
(iii) Protein have NH2 group which can react with acids to form salts, reaction
with formaldehyde forms hydroxyl methyl derivatives and others.

iii. Carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are a molecule made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen only. It is a group
that includes sugars, starch and cellulose. In biochemistry are known as saccharides. Based
on number of monosaccharides there are four types of carbohydrates molecules; which are
monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides.

Chemical properties of carbohydrates.

(i) Reducing property.

Sugars are classified as either reducing or non-reducing depending on the presence of free
aldehydes or keto groups. The reducing property is due to the ability of these sugars to
reduce metal ion like copper or silver in alkaline condition. This property is a basis of
benedicts test where cupric ion in copper is reduced to red cuprous oxide.

Cu2+ complex + aldose/ ketose Cu2O + Oxidation products.

 (ii) Carbohydrates reacts with acids.

Carbohydrates when reacts with acids like Sulphuric acids ( H 2SO4 ) get dehydrated to form
furfural and its derivatives

(iii) Oxidation.

Sugars undergo oxidation which produce carboxylic acids, as they are capable of being
oxidized they are termed to be reducing sugars. Aldehydes are oxidized easily since they
have open C=O bond. On the other hand, ketones can only be oxidized if can tautomerize to
form aldehyde first.

(iii) Hydrolysis

Carbohydrates undergo hydrolysis to produce a and B isomers. The -OR bond at the
anomeric carbon hydrolyses to form a -OH bond.

(iv)Glycoside formation.

Carbohydrates forms glycosides when the anomeric hydroxyl group undergoes

condensation with the hydroxyl group of another carbohydrate molecule, in this reaction
water molecules are eliminated.

iv. Lipids.

Lipids are biomolecules formed by one glycerol and three fatty acids. it include any
compound created by living organisms that resists reaction with water, including fats,
hormones, oils and membranes. There various types of lipids categorized as simple,
compound and derived lipids.
Chemical properties of lipids.

(i) Saponification

Is a reaction in which lipids (vegetable oils and animal fats) are treated with strong alkali.
Hydrolysis of TAG with KOH or NaOH results to soap formation and glycerol. These soaps are
the household soaps. Sodium soaps are hard and potassium soaps are soft.

(ii) Hydrogenation

It is an addition reaction in which unsaturated fatty acid can be converted to saturated fatty acid
by addition of hydrogen to unsaturated fatty acid.

(iii) Iodine Number:

Lipids can react with iodine to indicate degree of unsaturation in fatty acid. Presence of double
bonds absorb iodine from potassium iodide solution thereby reduce the amount of iodine ions in
a solution. Amount of iodine absorbed can calculated and determine the degree of unsaturation in
fatty acids. Iodine number is the grams of iodine required to saturate 100 grams of fat. It is an.
 (iv) Rancidity

Refers to complete or incomplete hydrolysis or oxidation of Fats or oils when exposed on air.
Fats contained with enzymes like lipase undergo partial hydrolysis and oxidation of unsaturated
fatty acids at the double bonds. Fats contaminated with enzymes like lipase undergo partial
hydrolysis and oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids at the double bonds

The unpleasant taste and smell associated with rancidity is due to release of hydrogen peroxide
giving a bad odour and taste to the fat.
References.

Alberts B, Johnson A, Lewis J, Raff M, Roberts K, Wlater P (2002). Molecular biology of the
cell (4th ed.).
Saenger W (1984). Principles of Nucleic Acid Structure. Springer-Verlag.
Bo Peng & Yu Qin (2008). "Lipophilic Polymer Membrane Optical Sensor with a Synthetic
Receptor for Saccharide Detection".
Bailey, W. R., Scott, E. G., Finegold, S. M., & Baron, E. J. (1986). Bailey and Scott’s Diagnostic
microbiology. St. Louis: Mosby.