Lesson 4

CHEMICAL BASIS OF LIFE: BIOLOGICAL

MOLECULES
RECAP TIME
BIO FACTS
Competencies

1. categorize the biological molecules(lipids, carbohydrates,

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proteins, and nucleic acids) according to their structure

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and function

2. explain the role of each biological molecule in specific

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metabolic processes

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Activity (10 mins)

Guide Questions:
1. What is a protoplasm?
2. Why is it called the chemical basis
of life?
3. What are biological molecules?
4. What are their functions?
PROTOPLASM

Protos- First, Plasma - form

- material basis of life or chemical basis of life

– living substance in which all animals and plants are made.

The word was coined by Hugo Von Mohl

Characteristics: -fluid, viscid, ductile and less transparent

-Aggregate of crystalloids and colloids

-reversible in sol gel system

3 Components:

1. Elements:
OCHN – 96 %, PSMgCa – 4%

oxygen
– oxidation of glucose
carbon
– component of organic molecule
hydrogen
– influence pH of body fluids
Nitrogen
– component of proteins and nucleic acid
2. Inorganic Compounds – lack carbons

A. Water
– 75% of the protoplasm, 2/3 of the body
weight

Functions:
- neutral solvent
- dispersion medium
- participate in enzymatic rxn.
- Essential for metabolic activities
- Chief excretory product.
Properties:
High heat capacity
Polarity or Solvent Properties
Chemical reactivity
Cushioning
B. Salts
– contain CA and Phosphorous
– when dissolved in water separate into ions
process is called Dissociation.
Salts are electrolytes
- they can conduct electrical current in solution.
Functions:
maintenance for osmotic pressure
clotting in blood
development of bones and teeth
formation of hemoglobin in rbc
normal functioning of muscles and nerves
C. Acids and Bases –
- are electrolytes, they ionize and then
dissociate in water and can conduct electrical
current.

ACIDS – sour taste and can dissolve metals

they release hydrogen ions also known as
proton donors

Bases – have a bitter taste

proton acceptors; hydroxides
are commonly inorganic bases
- the relative concentration of hydrogen
ions in various body fluids is measured
in concentration units
-called pH.
- pH scale – 1909 – Danish biochemist –
Sorensen – referred based on number of
protons in solution expressed in moles per
liter.
- 0-6 is acidic and 7 -14 is basic
3. ORGANIC Compounds –
- Carbon containing compounds
substances derived from organism – known as
macromolecules and the essence of life.

Types:
1. Carbohydrates
– most abundant, sugar and starch contain CHO group –
made synthetically from water and carbon dioxide

Functions:
- source of chemical energy
- components of protoplasmic structure
Types:

a. Monosaccharide
– simple sugar
Examples: glucose – blood sugar
Fructose/galactose
– converted to glucose for body
Ribose/deoxyribose
– part of nucleic acid
b. Disaccharides – double sugar
Examples:

Maltose – malt sugar - 2 glucoses

Sucrose – table sugar – glucose plus fructose
Lactose – Milk sugar – glucose plus
galactose
C. Polysaccharides – complex sugar – ideal as
storage products
Examples:
1 starch
– plants
2. glycogen
– animals
3. cellulose
– cell wall
4. Chitin
– egg
5. Agglutinogen
– blood
2.Fats and Lipids –
2-3% of the cell – diverse group of organic
compound.
Fats – mixture of triglycerides and steroids
Lipids – fatty acids and glycerol

Functions: - storage form of metabolic fuel

- provides heat and energy
- important part of cell organelles
- important process in denaturation
and photophosphorylation
Types of fats:

a. Neutral Fats or simple lipids – triglycerides

- building blocks: fatty acid and
glycerol

types: a. natural fats

– examples – tallow, lard, butter and human fats.
B. waxes
– bees wax and ear wax
b. Phospholipids – phosphorous containing
group
- found in cell membrane, participate in
transport of lipids and insulate the white matter
in the brain.
Example: Cephalin
 c. Steroids - Fat molecules formed by 4 interlocking
rings
examples:
cholesterol
– basis of all steroids
bile salts
– fat digestion – liver
vit D.
– for normal bone growth – skin
sex hormones
– normal reproductive functions
Adrenal Cortical Hormones
– cortisol – anti stress hormones
3. Proteins – 10-20% of the cell – 50 % of organic
body –
building block known as
- amino acid

Functions:
- growth of new tissues and repair of old.
- maintenance of osmotic pressure
- important in formation of enzymes
Types:

a. Fibrous proteins/ Structural – basic structural materials

of the body.

Examples:
albumin
– blood and egg white
Globulin
– plant seed
Histone
– nucleic acid
Protamine
– sperm cells
b. Globular Proteins/ functional proteins – play role in
biological processes.

Groups:
Antibodies – Immunoglobulins
Hormones – growth hormone and insulin
Transport proteins – hemoglobin
catalyst – enzymes
– functional proteins that hasten chemical
rxn without itself involve in the process.
- for biochemical rxn.
4. Nucleic Acids –
polymers of nucleotides – made up of genes – blue
print of life – largest biological molecules in the body.

building blocks of NA
- Nucleotides –
Functions: participate in molecular mechanism and
biosynthetic rxn.
Parts: 1. nitrogen containing base
2. 5 carbon sugar – pentose
3. phosphate group

bases:
adenine, guanine, thymine, cytosine
Differences between DNA and RNA:

DNA RNA
Nucleus nucleus and cytoplasm
Pair – a-t, g-c pair – a-u,g-c
Dexyribose ribose
2 strand 1
carrier of genetic code for protein synthesis
5. Adenosine TriPhosphate –
ATP – energy currency of the cell – provide
form of chemical energy – a modified
nucleotide
Application
determine the classification of organic compound:
1. Pentose
2. enzymes
3. immunoglobulins
4. cephalin
5. cerumin
6. sucrose
7. cytosine
8. thymine
9. guanine
10. lard
11. growth hormones
12. bile salts
13. steroids
14. maltose
15. nucleotides