BiochemistryA series of free High School Chemistry Video Lessons from Brightstorm.
Proteins Proteins, also known as polypeptide chains, are macromolecules of linked amino acids. Proteins are types of organic compounds that, among other things, store energy and form enzymes. Proteins have several levels of structure. On their primary structural level, they resemble neat chains, while on their tertiary level they resemble tangled messes.
Chemistry Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are macromolecules composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Biologists are interested in carbohydrates because they serve as energy storage and as structural frameworks within cells. Simple carbohydrates consist of only 1 or 2 monomers, or monosaccharide's, while complex carbohydrates, or polysaccharides, are chains of monomers. Some types of carbohydrates are sugars, starches and cellulose. Plants manufacture carbohydrates through photosynthesis.
Fats and Lipids Fats and lipids are large organic molecules which are used for energy storage and which make up the which make up the lipid bi-layer of the plasma membrane of cells. Lipids have hydrophobic “tails” which are composed of chains of hydrocarbons and hydrophilic “heads” which are composed of a carboxyl group. A lipid monomer is either glycerol and fatty acids or a steroid core. Types of lipids include triglycerides (fats) and phospholipids (e.g. soap).
Nucleic Acid Nucleic acids are long chains of monomers (nucleotides) that function as storage molecules in a cell. Nucleotides are composed of sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. ATP, DNA and RNA are all examples of nucleic acids.
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