Carbohydrates
Made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Examples: Glucose, Ribose, Maltose, Lactose, Sucrose
Structure: Can exist as a carbon chain, or as a ring. The ring form is more stable and more prevalent at equilibrium. Disaccharides are made of two
Function: Glucose is the principle molecule used for energy production during cellular respiration.
Examples: Cellulose, Starch, Glycogen, Chitin
Structure: Chains of monosaccharides joined by glycosidic linkages (one oxygen atom joins 2 rings).
Function: Cellulose and chitin are structural; starch and glycogen are means of storing glucose for long periods.
Lipids
Made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (in some cases phosphorus as well).
Triglycerides
Structure: 1 glycerol molecule joined to 3 fatty acid molecules.
Function: Used for insulation and long-term energy storage.
Phospholipids
Structure: 1 glycerol molecule joined to 2 fatty acid molecules and a phosphate group.
Function: Primary component of cell membranes.
Steroids
Examples: Cholesterol, Estradiol, Testosterone
Structure: 4 interlinked carbon rings with functional groups attached.
Function: Hormonal functioning; some help control the fluidity of cell membranes
Nucleic Acids
Made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus
DNA
Structure: Made of repeating units of 4 nucleotides. A nucleotide is made of a phosphate group, a pentose sugar, and one of four nitrogenous bases adenine, cytosine, guanine, or thymine. Double-stranded.
Function: Stores genetic information.
RNA
Structure: Made of repeating units of 4 nucleotides. The pentose sugar is ribose rather than deoxyribose. The 4 bases are adenine, uracil, guanine, and cytosine. Single-stranded.
Function: Transfers genetic information to ribosomes for protein synthesis, carries amino acids into place, and holds ribosomal subunits together.
Polypeptides
Made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen (occasionally sulfur also).
Structure: Polymers of repeating units of 20 kinds of amino acid. Amino acids are structurally similar except for one side chain that varies from acid to acid. Adjacent amino acids are joined by peptide bonds. One or more polypeptide may be joined to form a protein.
Function: Numerous functions: structure, enzymes, packaging, cell-to-cell communication, cell recognition, immune response
Made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Examples: Glucose, Ribose, Maltose, Lactose, Sucrose
Structure: Can exist as a carbon chain, or as a ring. The ring form is more stable and more prevalent at equilibrium. Disaccharides are made of two
Function: Glucose is the principle molecule used for energy production during cellular respiration.
Examples: Cellulose, Starch, Glycogen, Chitin
Structure: Chains of monosaccharides joined by glycosidic linkages (one oxygen atom joins 2 rings).
Function: Cellulose and chitin are structural; starch and glycogen are means of storing glucose for long periods.
Lipids
Made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (in some cases phosphorus as well).
Triglycerides
Structure: 1 glycerol molecule joined to 3 fatty acid molecules.
Function: Used for insulation and long-term energy storage.
Phospholipids
Structure: 1 glycerol molecule joined to 2 fatty acid molecules and a phosphate group.
Function: Primary component of cell membranes.
Steroids
Examples: Cholesterol, Estradiol, Testosterone
Structure: 4 interlinked carbon rings with functional groups attached.
Function: Hormonal functioning; some help control the fluidity of cell membranes
Nucleic Acids
Made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus
DNA
Structure: Made of repeating units of 4 nucleotides. A nucleotide is made of a phosphate group, a pentose sugar, and one of four nitrogenous bases adenine, cytosine, guanine, or thymine. Double-stranded.
Function: Stores genetic information.
RNA
Structure: Made of repeating units of 4 nucleotides. The pentose sugar is ribose rather than deoxyribose. The 4 bases are adenine, uracil, guanine, and cytosine. Single-stranded.
Function: Transfers genetic information to ribosomes for protein synthesis, carries amino acids into place, and holds ribosomal subunits together.
Polypeptides
Made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen (occasionally sulfur also).
Structure: Polymers of repeating units of 20 kinds of amino acid. Amino acids are structurally similar except for one side chain that varies from acid to acid. Adjacent amino acids are joined by peptide bonds. One or more polypeptide may be joined to form a protein.
Function: Numerous functions: structure, enzymes, packaging, cell-to-cell communication, cell recognition, immune response
