T H E F U N C T I O N B E H I N D L I F E
BIOCHEM ORGANIC MATTER
What are living creatures made of ?Why do we have to eat?
Have you ever wondered what happens to the food that you eat and
do not flush down the toilet hours later… ????
ELEMENTS OF LIFE
• 96% of living organisms are made of:1. Carbon (C)2. Oxygen (O)3. Hydrogen (H)4. Nitrogen (N)And also …5. Sulfur (S)6. Phosphate (P)
CARBON IS THE “BACKBONE” OF LIFE
• All organic molecules … have Carbon atoms as the
basis of the moleculeContain Carbon, Hydrogen
and Oxygen atomsAre made by chemically
bonding smaller molecules called subunits (building blocks)
THE CARBON ATOM
• Carbon can from single, double and triple bonds.• Carbon has four places it needs to
bond.
MOLECULES OF LIFE
What are bodies made of?Carbohydrates
Sugars & starchesProteins
Muscles, Enzymes, Hormones
LipidsFats, Oils, Waxes,
SteroidsNucleic Acids
DNA, RNA
Putting C, H, O & N together in different ways builds living organisms.
WHY DO WE EAT ?
We eat to take in more of those chemicals. Food for building materials
To make more of us (cells)For growthFor repair
Food to make energyCaloriesTo make ATP
WHAT DO WE NEED TO EAT?
• Foods to give you more building blocks & more energy for building & running your body:CarbohydratesProteinsFatsNucleic AcidsVitaminsMinerals, SaltsWater
DON’T FORGET WATER..!!
• Water• 75% of your body is H2O
• Water is inorganicDoes NOT contain Carbon
• Used in Hydrolysis & Dehydration synthesis
THE REST OF YOU…
• The rest of you is made out of carbon molecules:Organic molecules
Carbohydrates Proteins Fats Nucleic Acids
How do we make these molecules? We build them SYNTHESIS = to build !!
BUILDING LARGE MOLECULES OF LIFE
•Chain together smaller molecules• Building block molecules•Monomers – single unit
BUILDING LARGE MOLECULES OF LIFE
•Big molecules built from little molecules•Polymers – many Monomers (subunits) bonded together
The Polymer Party
BUILDING LARGE MOLECULES
• Take Monomers (small molecules) = building blocks• … and bond them together to make a Polymer
This Process is called: Dehydration Synthesis• Monomers can be attached to each other by
removing WATER.
BUILDING IMPORTANT POLYMERS
• Carbohydrates Built from sugars
• ProteinsBuilt from amino acids (A-A)
• LipidsBuilt from hydrocarbon
chains
• Nucleic Acids (DNA) Built from nucleotides
BUILDING IMPORTANT POLYMERS
• Carbohydrates Built from sugars
• ProteinsBuilt from amino acids (A-A)
• LipidsBuilt from hydrocarbon
chains
• Nucleic Acids (DNA) Built from nucleotides
HOW TO BUILD LARGE MOLECULES
• Dehydration Synthesis = removing waterBuilding bigger molecules from smaller moleculesBuilding cells & bodiesWater is removed in between each monomer
HOW TO TAKE LARGE MOLECULES APART
• Digestion (Hydrolysis): adding WaterTaking a BIG molecule apartGetting raw materialMaking energy (ATP)Hydrolysis – adding water
T H E E N G E RY M O L E C U L E
CARBOHYDRATES
CARBOHYDRATES
• The Energy molecule• Building block molecule:
Sugars
CARBOHYDRATE
• Function:1. Quick energy2. Energy storage3. Cell structure
CARBOHYDRATES
• Examples:SugarsStarchesCellulose (cell wall)
CARBOHYDRATES
• Names for sugars usually end in –ose Glucose Fructose Sucrose Maltose
CARBOHYDRATES
• Building Carbohydrates Dehydrates Synthesis
removing water between Monomers
CARBOHYDRATES• BIG Carbohydrates
Starch o Energy storage in plantso Example; Potatoes
Glycogeno Energy storage in animalso Example: in liver and
muscles Celluloseo Structure in plantso Example: cell walls
Chitino Structure in bugs & fungio Example: Exoskeleton
DIGESTING STARCH VS. CELLULOSE
• Starch – easy to digest• Cellulose – hard to digest
CELLULOSE
• Cell walls in plantsHerbivores can digest celluloseMost carnivores cannot digest cellulose
That’s why they eat meat to get their energy & nutrientsCellulose = fiber
HELPFUL BACTERIA
• How can cows digest cellulose?Bacteria live in their stomachs & help digest
cellulose- rich meals (grass)
C O N C E N T RAT E D E N E R GY M O L E C U L E
LIPIDS
LIPIDS
• Examples:Fats OilsWaxesSex hormones
Testosterone Estrogen
LIPIDS
• Function:• Energy storage
Very concentratedTwice the energy as carbohydrates!!
• Cell membrane• Cushions organs• Insulates body
LIPIDS
• BIG FAT Molecule• Glycerol + 3 Fatty acids
MAKING LIPIDS
FATS • Saturated Fats
most animal fatsSolid at room
temperatureYou should limit
amount in diet Causes heart disease Deposits in arteries
• Unsaturated Fats plant, vegetable &
fish fats Liquid at room
temperatureBetter choice in diet
M U LT I P U R P O S E M O L E C U L E
PROTEINS
PROTEINS
• Examples:MuscleFingernailsSkinHairEnzymes
PepsinHormones
Insulin
PROTEINS
• Function:Hormones
Insulin Growth hormone
Movement Muscle
Immune system Protect against germs
Enzymes Helps chemical
reactions
PROTEINS
• Amino Acids are the building blocks
PROTEINS
• Proteins fold and twist into 3-D shape
PROTEINS
Destroying Proteins• Unfolding proteins = “denature”
TemperaturepH (acidy)