Subject Name: Biology for

Engineers Subject Code: CE

(BS) 301/ BS Bio 301 (ME) / BS
301 (EE)
Module No. 4

Topic Name: Introduction to Biomolecules

Lecture 1

Presented By: Dr. Avik De

M.Sc, PhD
Asst. Prof.
Dept of Basic Science & Humanities ( Chemistry
Section)

Contact details: [email protected]

Mob: 9874945255 (Whatsapp no)
 Purpose of knowing this module

To convey that all forms of life has the

same building blocks and yet the
manifestations are as diverse as one can
imagine.

Structure of
COVID 19
spike protein
Monomers, polymers, and
macromolecules

There are 4 categories of macromolecules:

Carbohydrates
Proteins,
Lipids,
and Nucleic acids
 CH4 =
Carbon linkages
Propane
• Single chains
• Rings = C3H8

The 4 types of biomolecules often

consist of large carbon chains
 Carbon binds to more than just
hydrogen!!
• To OH groups in sugars
• To NH2 groups in amino
acids
• To H2PO4 groups of
nucleotides of DNA,
RNA, and ATP
Amino acid

OH, NH2, PO4 are called ‘functional groups’!

Functional groups:
 Isomers have the same molecular
formulas but different structures
• Structural isomer = difference in the C skeleton structure

• Stereoisomer = difference in location of functional groups

 Enantiomers are special types of
stereoisomers
Enantiomers are mirror
images of each other
One such enantiomer
contains C bound to 4
different molecules and is
called a chiral molecule
Chiral molecules rotate
polarized light to the right
(D form)
form or to the left (L
form)
form molecules
Examples: amino acids (L
form)
sugars (D form)
 Biological importance of stereochemistry

 Stereochemistry may seem like a trivial subject because

differences between stereoisomers are usually subtle.
 In nature, however, and most importantly, in biological systems
such as the human body, these subtle differences have sweeping
implications.
 Most drugs for example, are often composed of a single
stereoisomer of a compound, and while one stereoisomer may have
positive effects on the body, another stereoisomer may be toxic.
 Because of this, a great deal of work done by synthetic organic
chemists today is in devising methods to synthesize compounds that
are purely one stereoisomer.
Example: for example, is the binding of Ibuprofin, a common
pain reliever. While one stereoisomer of the compound has the
right three-dimensional shape to bind to the protein receptor, the
other does not and can not bind, and is therefore ineffective as a
pain reliever.

Thus, all of our proteins that

make up our hair, skin, organs,
brain, and tissues, are composed
of a single stereoisomer of
amino acids.

Additionally, our bodies can make and digest starch (found in

potatoes and bread) but not cellulose (found in wood and
plant fibers), even though both are just polymers of glucose
of different stereochemistry.
Monosaccharides: A carbohydrate that cannot be hydrolysed
further to give simpler unit of polyhydroxy aldehyde or ketone is
called a monosaccharide. About 20 monosaccharides are known to
occur in nature. Some common examples are glucose, fructose,
ribose, etc. (ii) Oligosaccharides: Carbohydrates that yield two to
ten monosaccharide units, on hydrolysis, are called
oligosaccharides.
They are further classified as disaccharides, trisaccharides,
tetrasaccharides, etc., depending upon the number of
monosaccharides, they provide on hydrolysis. Amongst these the
most common are disaccharides. The two monosaccharide units
obtained on hydrolysis of a disaccharide may be same or different.
For example, one molecule of sucrose on hydrolysis gives one
molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose whereas
maltose gives two molecules of only glucose.
Polysaccharides: Carbohydrates which yield a large number of
monosaccharide units on hydrolysis are called polysaccharides.
Some common examples are starch, cellulose, glycogen, gums,
etc. Polysaccharides are not sweet in taste, hence they are also
called non-sugars.

The carbohydrates may also be classified as either reducing or

nonreducing sugars. All those carbohydrates which reduce
Fehling’s solution and Tollens’ reagent are referred to as
reducing sugars. All monosaccharides whether aldose or ketose
are reducing sugars.
 Monomers and polymers
• Monomers are made into polymers via dehydration reactions
• Polymers are broken down into monomers via hydrolysis
reactions
Fig. 3.3
• Simple sugars
(monosaccharides)
• Only one 3-C, 5-C, 6-
C chain or ring
involved
Examples of sugar monomers*

*Remember how C’s are counted

within the ring structures (starting
from the right side and counting
clockwise)
Carbohydrates (sugars)
• Double sugars
(disaccharides)
• Two 6-C chains or
rings bonded together
 Carbohydrates (sugars)
• Complex carbo’s
(polysaccharides)
– Starch
– Cellulose
– Glycogen
– Chitin

Glycogen to glucose
in animals
 Polysaccharides
Starch structure vs Glycogen structure
Fig. 3.10

Polysaccharides: Cellulose structure

 Subject Name: Biology for
Engineers Subject Code: CE
(BS) 301/ BS Bio 301 (ME) / BS
302 (EE)
Module No. 4

Topic Name: Introduction to Biomolecules

Lecture 2

Presented By: Dr. Avik De

M.Sc, PhD
Asst. Prof.
Dept of Basic Science & Humanities ( Chemistry
Section)

Contact details: [email protected]

Mob: 9874945255 (Whatsapp no)
Proteins
• Composed of chains
of amino acids

• 20 amino acids exist

• Amino acids contain

– Central Carbon
– Amine group
– Carboxyl group
– R group
Fig. 3.20

The 20 Amino Acids

All differ with respect
to their R group
 Peptide bonds occur between amino acids
• The COOH group of 1
amino acid binds to
the NH2 group of
another amino acid

• Forms a peptide bond!

bond
Fig. 3.21

The chain (polymer) of amino acids forms a variety of

loops, coils, and folded sheets from an assortment of
bonds and attractions between amino acids within the
chain(s)
 There are at least 7 functions of proteins

• Enzyme catalysts – specific for 1 reaction

• Defense – antibody proteins, other proteins
• Transport- Hgb, Mgb, transferrins, etc
• Support – keratin, fibrin, collagen
• Motion – actin/myosin, cytoskeletal fibers
• Regulation- some hormones, regulatory proteins
on DNA, cell receptors
• Storage – Ca and Fe attached to storage proteins
Fig. 3.18
There are four levels of protein
structure
• Primary = sequence of
aa’s
• Secondary = forms
pleated sheet, helix, or
coil
• Tertiary = entire length
of aa’s folded into a
shape
• Quaternary = several aa
sequences linked
together
Fig. 3.23

Motifs and Domains: Important features of 2° and 4°

structure
Nucleic acids: DNA and RNA

• DNA =
deoxyribonucleic acid
• DNA is a double
polymer (chain)
• Each chain is made of
nucleotides
• The 2 chains bond
together to form a
helix
DNA nucleotides
• Each nucleotide in
DNA contains:
– 5-C sugar
(deoxyribose)
– Phosphate
– Nitrogen base
-adenine (A)
-guanine (G)
-cytosine (C)
-thymine (T)
Fig. 3.14

One polymer of nucleotides on one “backbone” of nucleic acid

Fig. 3.15

The DNA “double helix”

 Lipids: Hydrophobic molecules
• Central core of glycerol
• Bound to up to 3 fatty acid chains
• They exhibit a high number of C-H bonds –
therefore much energy and non-polar
• When placed in water, lipids spontaneously
cluster together
• They help organize the interior content of
cells  “phospholipids”
Glycerol and fatty acid chains

What specific bonds form between glycerol and

each fatty acid chain?
Would you think this to be an hydrolysis or a
dehydration synthesis rxn?
Saturated and unsaturated fats

The difference resides in the number of H’s attached

to C’s in the fatty acid chains; the amount of
“saturation” on the C’s
Saturated vs unsaturated fats and diet
• Saturated fats raise LDL-cholesterol levels in the
blood (animal fats, dairy, coconut oil, cocoa
butter)
• Polyunsaturated fats leave LDL-cholesterol
unchanged; but lower HDL-cholesterol (safflower
and corn oil)
• Monounsaturated fats leave LDL and HDL levels
unchanged (olive oil, canola, peanut oil, avocados)
• One variety of polyunsaturated fat (Omega-3 fatty
acids)
acids guards against blood clot formation and
reduce fat levels in the blood (certain fish,
walnuts, almonds, and tofu)
 Phospholipids and cell membranes
• P-lipids make up the majority of cell
membranes including:
– The plasma membrane
– Nuclear envelope
– Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
– Golgi apparatus
– Membrane-bound vesicles
Structure of single P-lipid

The 3 C’s of glycerol are bound to:

2 fatty acid chains
phosphate
Cell environment organizes P-lipid
bilayer to proper orientation

Hydrophilic (polar) “heads” of P-lipid oriented to the

exterior; hydrophobic (non-polar) “tails” oriented to
the interior
Unlock your mind & ask relevant
questions ??