Monday, March 4, 2013

Biomolecules

Biomolecules
Biomolecules are simple organic compounds forming a living organism and is unique as a product of biological activity. Biomolecules can be viewed as derivatives of hydrocarbons, carbon and hydrogen are compounds that have the basic framework composed of carbon atoms, held together by covalent bonds. The basic framework of hydrocarbons are very stable, because the single and double bond carbons using electron pairs together evenly. Biomolecules are polifungsionil, containing two or more different types of functional groups. In such molecules, each having functional groups and chemical properties of its own.

A. Compound form biomolecules

Compounds biomolecules are known in four forms: proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. The four classes of biomolecules is to have common properties have relatively large structures (molecular weight), and hence are called macromolecules.

Molecular weight (MW) protein ranged from 5000 to over 1 million, the molecular weight of different types of nucleic acids ranging up to several billion, carbohydrates (polysaccharides) can have a molecular weight of up to millions. Lipid molecules are much smaller (BM 750 to 1500). But because lipids are generally made up of thousands of molecules to form large structures that serve as macromolecular systems, structure of the lipid can also be considered as macromolecules.

Proteins are polymers of amino acids, carbohydrates are polymers of monosaccharides, nucleic acid is a polymer mononukleatida. Monomer lipid was different, depending on the type of lipid, including fatty acids, choline, ethanolamine, serine and others.

B. The function of biomolecules

Biomolecules have specific functions in the cell, for example:
  • proteins as enzymes, transport equipment, antibodies, hormones and forming membrane;
  • carbohydrates as an energy source, forming part of the membrane and cell wall;
  • lipids as an energy source, hormones, and forming cells;
  • Nucleic acid as genetic factors, coenzymes, energy carriers and regulators of protein biosynthesis.

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