Biochemistry 6.4 Organic Compounds

1. Organic Compounds
The Molecules of Life

2. Organic Compounds
• Made of carbon
• Vary in size
– Can be very small
– Large = macromolecules
• Built by adding small molecules (monomers)
together to form chains = polymers

3. Polymers
• Formed by
condensation
where they are
bonded together
• Broken apart by
hydrolysis
http://science.nhmccd.edu/BioL/dehydrat/dehydrat.html

4. Role of Carbon in
Organisms
• Carbon has 4 valence electrons
• that allows it to form four bonds with other
atoms
• Can form straight chains, branches or rings

5. Carbon

6. 4 Classes of Organic
Molecules
1. Carbohydrates
2. Lipids
3. Proteins
4. Nucleic Acids

7. Carbohydrates
• 1 C: 2 H: 1 O
• Provides quick energy, can be
stored
• Simplest type = monosaccharide
– Ex. Glucose, fructose
• 2 sugars = disaccharide
– Ex. Glucose + fructose = sucrose
• Many sugars = polysaccharide
– Ex. Starch, glycogen, and
cellulose

9. Lipids
• Made of C, H, and some O
• Used for energy storage and
cell membranes
• Hydrophobic (do not mix with
water)
• Most common are fats and
oils
– Monomer is a triglyceride
• Other lipids are
phospholipids and steroids
PHOSPHOLIPID

10. Proteins
• Made of C, H, O, N, and sometimes S
• Provide structure for tissues and organs and
make enzymes
• Made of amino acids
– 20 different amino acids combine in different
numbers and variations
– Amino acids link together by peptide bonds to form
proteins

11. Nucleic Acids
• Made of C, H, O, N,
and P
• Stores genetic
information
• Monomers are
nucleotides
• Ex. DNA and RNA