Adapted by: K.

Donley

Identification of Macromolecules Lab

Purpose: To learn the structure and function of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and
nucleic acids.
Directions: Get in groups of 3-4 and complete the following worksheet. You will need to
get toothpicks, 4 colors of playdoh, a computer, and a textbook.

Carbon
1. Go to the on-line activities in your on-line textbook. (If the Internet is down, Mrs.
D has CD-Roms.) Do the activities for chapter 4 (4A-4C). What are the 3 types
of isomers and define their differences. Make a table of the functional groups
listing their formula and properties.
Functional Group
Phosphate Group

PO4 3-

Formula

Carbonyl Group

CO

Sulfhydryl Group

SH

Amino Group

NH3

Properties
Electronegative oxygens
of this functional group
draw electrons, and as a
result the group acts as an
acid, losing hydrogen ions
to the surrounding
solution. This dissociation
leaves the group with a
negative charge. This
group is important in ATP
and the transfer of energy
between organic
molecules.
Polar because oxygen has a
strong attraction for
electrons. If this group is
at the end of a carbon
skeleton, the molecule is
called an aldehyde, or a
ketone.
Molecules termed thiols
are characterized by this
group, which resembles a
hydroxyl group. These
groups interact to help
stabilize structure of many
proteins.
Slightly electronegative

Hydroxyl Group

OH

Carboxyl Group

COOH

nitrogen atom in this group

tends to pick up hydrogen
ions from the surrounding
solution, and thus this
functional group acts as a
base. Because of the added
hydrogen ion, this group
has a +1 charge in the cell.
Characteristic of organic
molecules called amines.
Polar because
electronegative oxygen has
a strong attraction for
electrons. Water is
attracted to this group, and
therefore molecules that
have this group (sugars)
tend to dissolve in water.
Alcohols are here.
The two electronegative
oxygens of this group pull
electrons away from the
hydrogen atom. This
weakens the bond between
oxygen and hydrogen, and
the hydrogen atom tends to
dissociate from the
molecule as a hydrogen
ion. Because it donates
hydrogen ions, this group
is acidic.

2. Use the computer on-line activities and your textbook for chapter 5 to complete
the rest of the lab.
Isomers
Structural Isomers
Geometric Isomers
Enantiomers

Differences
Differ in covalent
partnership between atoms
Differ in arrangement of
atoms between double
bond
Mirror images of each
other

Carbohydrates

Stamp:

1. What is a carbohydrate? List some examples.

A carbohydrate includes sugars and polymers of sugars. These molecules are used as
building materials and sources of energy. Some examples of carbohydrates are single
sugar molecules, monosaccharaides, & linked pairs of sugars, disaccharides, long chains
of sugars, polysaccharides, cellulose, and glycogen.
2. What is the structure of glucose? Create a glucose molecule with playdoh and
toothpicks. C, H, and O should be represented by a different color and toothpicks
should represent the bonds. Draw the structure you have created below.

3. Draw a disaccharide and label the bond between the 2 sugar molecules.

Hydrogen bond
(H2O)

4. What is the common name of the disaccharide you created above? Give 2 other
examples of disaccharides and the names of the 2 monosaccharides that compose
them.
Sucrose: glucose and fructose
Lactose: galactose and glucose
Maltose: glucose and glucose
5. What is the bond called that links 2 monosaccharides together? What is the
difference between an alpha and beta bond?
The bond that links the monosaccharaides together is a hydrogen bond.
Alpha bond: down bond- when 2 monosaccharaides join
Beta bond: up bond
We cannot digest beta bonds.
6. Why cant cats and dogs digest cellulose?
They cannot digest the up (beta) bond. They will eat grass to throw up the food that is
making them feel sick.
7. What are some common polysaccharides and what are their functions?

Starch- represents compact stockpile of glucose units- linked together in a chain- that can
be stored by a plant for later use. Sometimes sections of the chain are detached and bound
to the sides as branches.
Cellulose- this is what plant cell walls are made of, most abundant organic compound on
earth. Like starch, this is made of glucose, but the chains are made from different glucose
isomer, so they have different properties.
Glycogen- stores glucose for energy in animal cells, especially in liver and muscle.
Animal equivalent of plant starch, but its molecules are more branched than starch.
8. Why are carbohydrates important in the diet? What are the functions of
carbohydrates?
Carbohydrates are important because they are in foods we eat that contain glucose.
Glucose is the bodys main energy source. This is because you can use it right away for
energy or stored away to use later.

Lipids

Stamp:

1. What is a lipid? List some examples.

Lipids are a diverse family of molecules that include fats, phospholipids, waxes, and
steroids such as cholesterol, which are insoluble in water. Have non-polar hydrocarbon
tails.
Butter, lard, margarine, and salad oil are lipids.
2. What 2 molecules compose a simple lipid? Create them with playdoh and
toothpicks and draw them below.
Saturated fats

Unsaturated fats

3. What are the functions of lipids? Why are they important in the diet?
Lipids function is storing energy, signaling, and acting as structural components of cell
membranes. They are important for storing energy to use for later.
4. What is the difference between a saturated v. an unsaturated lipid? Which is
healthier?
Saturated: A fatty acid in which all carbons in the hydrocarbon tail are connected by
single bonds, thus maximizing the number of hydrogen atoms that can attach to the
carbon skeleton. Can lead to heart disease.
Unsaturated: A fatty acid possessing one or more double bonds between the carbons in
the hydrocarbon tail. Such bonding reduces the number of hydrogen atoms attached to the
carbon skeleton. Are liquids at room temperature. Safe fats.
5. What are HDLs and LDLs? Which is healthier? List a disease that is common
for people with high cholesterol.
HDL removes bad cholesterol from the blood in harmful areas. High HDL reduces risk
of heart disease where low levels have higher risk.
LDL collects in the walls of blood vessels, causing blockage. High LDL levels put you at
risk of heart attack from a blood clot in a narrow artery.
A common disease is Coronary heart disease.
HDL is good cholesterol where LDL is bad cholesterol.

Proteins
1. What is a protein? Give some examples.

Stamp:

A protein is a three-dimensional biological polymer constructed from a set of 20 different

monomers called amino acids. Protein is in eggs, meat, beans.
2. Why are proteins important in the diet? What are the functions of proteins?
Protein is used to build and repair tissue. It is used to make enzymes, hormones, and
other body chemicals. It is also a building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and
blood.
3. Create an amino acid with playdoh and toothpicks. Draw it below.

4. How many amino acids are there? How many are essential to the diet?
There are 20 amino acids but 8-9 are essential to the diet.
5. What are the 3 categories of amino acids? Give 2 examples of each type.
Nonpolar- proline, lecine
Polar- asparagine, glutamine
Electrically charged- arginine, histidine
6. Describe how proteins fold (include primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary
structures). Why is the shape of a protein important?
Primary: The level of protein structure referring to the specific sequence of amino acids.
Secondary: the localized, repetitive coiling or folding of the polypeptide backbone of a
protein due to hydrogen bond formation between constituents of the backbone.
Tertiary: Irregular contortions of a protein molecule due to interactions of side chains
involved in hydrophobic interactions, ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, and disulfide bridges.
Quaternary: The particular shape of a complex, aggregate protein, defined by the
characteristic three-dimensional arrangement of its constituent subunits, each a
polypeptide.
Proteins catalyze chemical reactions by bringing them together and need to be
specifically shaped because they need to fit together.

7. What bonds help stabilize protein shape?

Hydrogen bonds
8. Go to the Internet and find the structure of an example protein. Print one per
group and label any distinct folding patterns that you see.

Nucleic Acids

Stamp:

1. What is a nucleic acid? Give 2 examples.

Nucleic acids are macromolecules that exist in polynucleotides. A polymer consisting of a
many nucleotide monomers; serves as a blueprint for proteins and, through the actions of
proteins, for all cellular activities. The two types are DNA and RNA.

2. What 3 molecules compose a nucleotide?

Nitrogen base, five carbon sugar (pentose), and phosphate group
3. List the purines and pyrimidines. What bonds with what? Draw their structures
below.
Purine: Adenine, Guanine
Pyrimidines: Cytosine, Thymine, Uracil
Purine adenine base pairs with pyrimidine thymine via 2 hydrogen bonds. A=T
The purine guanine base pairs with the pyrimidine cytosine via 3 hydrogen bonds.
C=G

4. Draw a picture of DNA with 2 bases on each strand, one base pair should be A
and T, the other C and G. Who discovered the structure of DNA?
Francis Crick discovered the structure of DNA

5. What is the function of DNA? What is the function of RNA (mRNA, tRNA,
rRNA, and snRNA)?
DNA contains genetic material and instructions for development and function of living
things.
RNA carries genetic material copied from DNA in the form of a series of three base codes
which specifies to a specific amino acid.

mRNA is the messenger convey genetic information from DNA to ribosome where they
specify the amino acid sequence.
tRNA is transfer RNA and helps decode mRNA sequence into a protein.
rRNA is ribosomal RNA and associates with a set of proteins to form ribosomes.
Catalyze assembly of amino acids into protein chains.
snRNA are small nuclear ribonucleic acids of eukaryotic cells are involved in maturation
of primary transcripts of mRNA. Some snRNA are involved in the function of the
spliceosome.
6. List the differences between RNA and DNA.
DNA:
Long term storage of genetic info; transmission of genetic info to make other cells and
new organisms
B-form double helix, DNA is a double stranded molecule consisting of a long chain of
nucleotides
Deoxyribose sugar phosphate backbone- AGCT bases
Self replicating
AT
GC
RNA:
Transfer genetic code from nucleus to ribosomes to make proteins. Transmits genetic
info in some organisms.
A-form helix. RNA is single strand helix consisting of shorter chains of nucleotides.
Ribose sugar, phosphate backbone, AGCU
RNA is synthesized from DNA on an as needed basis
AU
GC
7. Which came first, RNA or DNA? Why do you think this? Do all organisms have
DNA? Why or why not?

RNA came first because it evolved into DNA. All organisms have DNA because it is the
instruction manual for making proteins a cell needs to perform its function.
8. What is the difference between mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA? Do some
research on the Internet (remember to cite your sources!).
Nuclear DNA is in the nucleus of eukaryote cells and usually has 2 copies per cell.
Mitochondrial DNA is in the mitochondria and has 100-1000 copies per cell. Structure of
nuclear DNA chromosomes is linear with open end and has 46 chromosomes having 3
billion nucleotides.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_DNA
http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/34398/title/Mitochondria-VersusNucleus/
9. What is a plasmid? What organism uses plasmids to its advantage and why is it
an advantage? Why might this advantage be potentially harmful to other
organisms?
A plasmid is a genetic structure in a cell that can replicate independently of the
chromosomes, typically a small circular DNA strand in the cytoplasm of bacterium of
protozoan.
The organism that uses plasmids to its advantage is a bacterium as small circular double
stranded DNA molecules. This is an advantage because they can evolve more quickly.
This is harmful because humans cant fight off the bacteria.
10. Why do you suppose it is important to take all of the antibiotics in a prescription?
What can happen if you dont take all of the pills correctly? Give an example.
When a person does not finish the entire antibiotic, the bacterium does not die and it can
become resistant because it is repeatedly exposed to the same antibiotic. The same
happens if you dont take all the pills, you become resistant. If you have bronchitis and
have an antibiotic, even it the symptoms get better and it is not gone, you should finish
the dosage because the bacteria is not completely gone and the disease will come back.
But the antibiotic will not be able to fight it off because the bacteria are now resistant to
it.