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Organic Molecules

Key Molecules of Life

- Chemical processes in the cell depend on just a few classes of carbon-based molecules including proteins,
nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. (Chemical processes in the cell depend on just a few classes of carbon-
based molecules.)

- Proteins provide structural support and act as catalysts that facilitate chemical reactions.

- Nucleic acids encode and transmit genetic information.

- Carbohydrates provide a source of energy and make up the cell wall in bacteria, plants, and algae.

- Lipids make up cell membranes, store energy, and act as signaling molecules.

Macromolecules

- These key molecules are all polymers made up of repeated simpler units connected by covalent bonds.

- Proteins are polymers of amino acids, nucleic acids are polymers of nucleotides, and carbohydrates such as
starch are polymers of simple sugars.

- Lipids are defined by their property rather than structure and lipid membranes consist of fatty acids bonded to
other organic molecules.

Building Blocks and Diversity

- Macromolecules are built from simple, repeating units which provides almost limitless chemical diversity.
(Building macromolecules from simple, repeating units provides a means of generating an almost limitless
chemical diversity.)

- The building blocks of polymers play a role like letters in words, where rearranging letters changes words'
meanings.

- Similarly, rearranging macromolecules' building blocks provides an important way to make diverse
macromolecules with different functions.

- Key terms: proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids, polymers, amino acids, nucleotides, sugars, fatty
acids, building blocks, chemical diversity

Future Chapters

- This section focuses on the building blocks of the four key molecules. Later chapters will discuss the structures
and functions of the macromolecules themselves.

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