BIOMOLECULES

Learning Competencies with Code:

Recognize the major categories of biomolecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic
acids (S10MTIVc-d-22)

Carbohydrates “The Chief Source of Energy”

Foods are everywhere. Most of the foods we eat

contain carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates are important biomolecule of our body.
They are called “chief source” because it provides the main https://www.google.com/search?q=carbohydrates

energy needed by our body. In layman’s terms, we Figure 1.3

Examples of Foods containing Carbohydrates
acknowledge carbohydrates as sugars or substances that taste
sweet. Depending on the number of constituting sugar units
Saccharide (Greek
obtained upon hydrolysis, they are classified as “sakcharon” means sugar)
is the unit of
monosaccharides (1 unit), disaccharides (2 units), (3-10 carbohydrates

units) and polysaccharides (more than 10 units).

Carbohydrates are important because:

1. they are the main source of energy of all living organisms;

2. they store energy which is in form of the polysaccharide glycogen in animals and starch in plants;
3. together with protein, they provide the structural support and serve as components for the cells; and
4. they provide support or backbone to other organic compound such as in the nucleic acid.

The main function of carbohydrates is to store and provide energy. They are broken down into
smaller glucose units that can be easily absorbed by the cells. When glucose is further broken down, the
energy released by breaking its chemical bonds are used or stored by the body.
Some carbohydrates also serve as the framework of cellular structures. For example, cellulose makes
up the cell wall of plant cells. Chitin, another carbohydrate, forms the exoskeleton of arthropods and the
cell wall of fungal cells.

Classifications of Carbohydrates
 Carbohydrates are molecules that are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They have a
general formula of CnH2nOn . They can be classified depending on the number of their monomer units
called saccharides.

Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates. They contain either five or six carbon
atoms. Monosaccharides [Greek monos = single; sacchar = sugar] or simple sugars consist of one sugar
unit that cannot be further broken down into simpler sugars.

Disaccharides are two monosaccharides bonded to each other. The monosaccharides are linked
through an ether group.

Polysaccharides are long chains of monosaccharide units. They are also called complex
carbohydrates. Similar to disaccharides, the monosaccharides are linked through an ether bond in
polysaccharides.

Monosaccharides: Simplest Form of Carbohydrates

Monosaccharides are also known to be the “building blocks” of carbohydrates. They are usually
colorless, crystalline and soluble in water. They represented by the chemical formula C 6H12O6.
Below are the examples of Monosaccharides:
Table 1: Major Examples of Monosaccharides
Compound Common Description/s Sources
Name

-major carbohydrate
Blood sugar/ found in both animals and Fruit juices, honey,
Glucose
dextrose plants -important product of corn, syrup, vegetables
photosynthesis for plants

Milk and milk

Galactose Milk Sugar` Sugar component of products
mammary animal

Fruits, Fruit juices,

Fructose Fruit sugar -sweetest sugar honey
-found in most fruits

As what they say, too much or too little of anything may lead to some diseases. When too much
glucose is in the blood, the pancreas secretes a hormone called “insulin” which

stimulates cells in the liver, muscles and fat to absorb glucose and transform it into glycogen or fats,
which can be stored for a period of time. When blood glucose drops, the pancreas secretes glucagon, which
causes the liver, muscles and fat to convert glycogen back to glucose.
 Disaccharides: Combination of Monosaccharides
Disaccharide, also called double sugar, any substance that is composed of two molecules of simple
sugars (monosaccharides) linked to each other. Disaccharides are crystalline water-soluble compounds.
The monosaccharides within them are linked by a glycosidic bond (or glycosidic linkage), the position of
which may be designated α- or β- or a combination of the two (α-,β-). Glycosidic bonds are cleaved by
enzymes known as glycosidases. The three major disaccharides are sucrose, lactose, and maltose.
To simplify, disaccharides are formed from the dehydration synthesis of two monosaccharides. For
instance, when two units of glucose undergo dehydration synthesis, it will form maltose, an example of
disaccharide. Disaccharides follow the rule of molecular formula C nH2nOn-1 because dehydration synthesis
is used to form them. Remember that dehydration synthesis removes water. Moreover, a disaccharide
molecule can also be reduced back to the individual monosaccharide that forms them through hydrolysis
reaction.
Below are the three major examples of disaccharides
Table 2: Major Examples of Disaccharides
Compound Sugar Units Description/s Sources
-also known as malt sugar - Germinating
Maltose Glucose + Glucose from the reaction of malt on starch
grains
-primary ingredient found in
Lactose Glucose + Galactose the milk of all mammals -is not Milk and milk products
sweet to taste
-known as table sugar -found Sugarcane, sugar
Sucrose Glucose + Fructose in all photosynthetic plants beet

People who cannot digest milk products are called “lactose intolerant” because they do not produce
the enzyme (lactase) necessary to break the bond between glucose and galactose. Since lactose molecules
are very large to be absorbed into circulatory system, they continue through the digestive system, where
they eventually broken down by bacteria in large intestine. These bacteria digest monosaccharides
producing carbon dioxide gas in the process. As a result, a common symptom of lactose intolerance is a
build-up of intestinal gas along with a bloated feeling, and more often passing out undigested lactose as
diarrhea.

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

Sucrose (Glucose + Fructose) Lactose (Glucose + Galactose) Maltose (Glucose + Glucose) (The three
figure shows two monosaccharides bonded or joined together by a glycosidic bond)
 Polysaccharides: Long Chain Sugars
Polysaccharides and Oligosaccharides are long chains of monosaccharides linked by glycosidic
bonds. They contain thousands of chains of monosaccharides. Like disaccharide, polysaccharide is formed
by numerous dehydration synthesis of monosaccharide. Polysaccharide are so big that they need to be
broken down into individual monosaccharide units before they can be absorbed by the cell.
Three important polysaccharides, starch, glycogen, and cellulose, are composed of glucose. Starch
and glycogen are short-term energy that stores in plants and animals, respectively. The glucose monomers
are linked by α glycosidic bonds. Below is the list of major types of Polysaccharides:
Table 3. Major Types of Polysaccharides
Compound Description/s Sources
-also known as amylum
-found mostly in stems, roots and crops -formed by Rice, wheat,
Starch long repetitive chains of glucose monosaccharide units grains, cereals
-serves as the storage carbohydrate in plants

-counter part of amylopectin

-usually stored in the liver and muscles of animals
(vertebrates)
Glycogen Liver, muscles
-can be easily broken down into individual glucose
if need arises
-serves as the storage of carbohydrate in animals
-most abundant polysaccharide
-main component of plant cell
Cellulose Plant fiber
-is tough and cannot be digested easily
-it needs the enzyme “Cellulase” to be broken down

The Figure 4 on the left shows the

bond.
Polysaccharide Amylose/starchFigure 4
 Activity: Sweet Treats! `
Directions: List down all foods that you have in your kitchen on the table below and classify it as
glucose, galactose, fructose, maltose, lactose, sucrose, starch, glycogen, cellulose.

No. Item/Food Found in your Kitchen Type of Sugar

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Activity: Modified TRUE or FALSE.

Directions: Tell whether the following statements are true or false. Write TRUE if the statement is
correct. If FALSE, change the underlined word/s to make it correct.

______________1. Carbohydrates are also known as hydrates of carbon.

______________2. Monosaccharides are composed of one sugar.
______________3. Starch is the most abundant polysaccharide.
______________4. Sugar units of Polysaccharides are linked together by an ionic bond.
______________5. Dehydration synthesis results in breaking down large molecule of sugar to form single
unit of sugar.
______________6. Galactose and glucose when undergo hydrolysis reaction, forms lactose.
______________7. Glucose can be readily absorbed by cell without undergoing any reactions.
______________8. Carbohydrates are sugars.
______________9. Lactose intolerance is caused by excess lactase inside the body.
______________10. Polysaccharides are long chains of disaccharide sugars.
 Proteins: Most Abundant Organic Compounds in Living Cell

Among the four organic compounds, proteins are the most

abundant in the living cell. It is generally composed of the
elements carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sometimes,
phosphorus and sulfur.

Proteins are macromolecules made up of nitrogen-

containing monomers called amino acids. An amino acid is a
molecule composed of an amino group (−NH2) and a carboxyl group
Figure 5
(−COOH), together with a variable side chain. 20 different Examples ofFoods containing Proteins

amino acids contribute to nearly all of the thousands of

different proteins important in human structure and function. Body proteins contain a unique combination
of a few dozens to a few hundreds of these 20 amino acid monomers. These amino acids have the same
fundamental structure. The 20 amino acids are classified into two: the essential and nonessential amino
acids. Essential amino acids can be obtained by eating protein-rich foods while nonessential amino acids
are readily synthesized by the cells.

The table below shows the two classifications of amino acids. Notice that amino acids can be
abbreviated by the first three letters of their name except for tryptophan, asparagine, glutamic acid and
glutamine.

Table 4. Essential and Nonessential Amino Acids

Essential Amino Acids Nonessential Amino Acids
Histidine-His Alanine-Ala
Isoleucine-Iso Arginine-Arg
Leucine-Leu Asparagine-Asn
Lysine-Lys Aspartic Acid-Asp
Methionine-Met Cysteine-Cys
Phenylalanine-Phe Glutamic Acid-Gln
Threonine-Thr Glutamine-Gln
Tryptophan-Trp Glycine-Gly
Valine-Val Proline-Pro
Serine-Ser
Tyrosine-Tyr

The unique bond holding amino acids together is called a

peptide bond. A peptide bond is a covalent bond between two
amino acids that forms by dehydration synthesis. A peptide, in
fact, is a very short chain of amino acids. Strands containing fewer than about 100 amino acids are
generally referred to as polypeptides rather than proteins.

When two (2) amino acids are chained with each other, a dipeptide (di- means two) is produced.
When three (3) amino acids are chained, then a tripeptide (tri-means three) is formed. When four or more
amino acids are joined, the polymer polypeptide is formed. To break down the peptide bond, hydrolysis
reaction is needed.

The following are the biochemical importance of proteins:

1. Protein serves as the structural components of living cell. It means that cell needs protein to do its
function.

2. Proteins perform biochemical functions such as hastening chemical reactions through enzymes which
serves as a catalyst. Enzymes are very important in speeding the chemical reaction process in the body.
For instance, to break down amylose or starch through digestive process, the enzyme amylase will reduce
the amylose to small sugar units. If there is no enzyme, chemical reactions will take longer.
3. Proteins also act as the biochemical regulator of the body in the form of hormones. For example, a
growth hormone or GH promotes and regulates the growth of organisms.
4. The blood is mostly composed of proteins. Hemoglobin in the red blood cells serves as the transporter
of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other compounds in the body. The plasma, which is the liquid part of
blood, is also composed of proteins. The WBC or white blood cell and antibodies that promote
immunity are also made of protein.
5. Keratin, which gives support and protection to the skin, is a kind of protein; collagen provides the
strength to connective tissues particularly the cartilage. The actin and myosin filaments enable
contraction and relaxation of muscles.
6. Proteins contain genetic materials-the genes that determine traits.

Activity: What’s in the box?

Directions: Identify what is being asked in the following statements. Write your answer on the box
provided for.
1. Proteins are composed mainly of what elements?
 2. Known as catalyst which speeds up chemical reaction

3. Monomers of Proteins

4. Two types of Amino Acids

5. Amino acids are joined together by what type of bond?

6. It is a type of reaction that enables chain of amino acids to be broken down.

7. Polymer of Amino acids where four or more amino acids are joined together

8. An example of protein that gives support and protection to outside part of the body

Activity: Performance-Based Output.

Directions: On a long bond paper, create a simple menu wherein you can use protein-rich
ingredients. Create a good or eye-catching title of your own menu. Follow the format below.

Title
Ingredients
Procedures

Lipids
Lipids are organic compounds that constitute fats and fat-like
compounds. Lipids cannot be dissolved in or combined with water.
Lipids are composed mainly of the elements carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen and some of nitrogen and phosphorus.

The monomers of lipids are the fatty acids and glycerol. Fatty
acids are classified into two (2): saturated and unsaturated fatty
acids (Refer to Figure 2). Saturated fatty acid appears in a straight Figure 8
Examples of Foods containing fats and
chain while unsaturated fatty acids appear bending because of lipids
double bonds (double line) or “kink”. Saturated fatty acids
can solidify in room temperature and are usually called as
animal fats.
Saturated fatty acids are less healthy than the
unsaturated fatty acids which are mostly present in plants.
Unsaturated fatty acids are sometimes referring as plant oils. Unsaturated fatty acids do not solidify in
room temperature.
The formation of polymer lipids requires the dehydration synthesis of one molecule of glycerol and
fatty acids. Glycerol molecule contains OH molecules. Each OH molecule can undergo dehydration
synthesis with the H of fatty acid. When they are attached, a lipid is produced. When one fatty acid
molecule undergoes dehydration synthesis with one OH of glycerol, a monoglyceride (mono means one) is
produced.
When two fatty acids synthesize with two OH molecules of glycerol, diglycerides (di means two) are
formed; and when three fatty acids synthesize with three OH of glycerol, triglycerides (tri means three) are
formed.
The following are the biochemical importance of lipids:
1. Like carbohydrates and proteins, lipids provide structural component of the cell, particularly of the
phospholipid bilayer of the plasma membrane. What makes your skin resistant to water is the sebum, the
specialized oil secreted by the sebaceous glands of your skin. The cutin of plant leaves also makes them
resistant and enables slow dehydration of water.
2. Lipids provide the energy given by carbohydrates because of the number of hydrogen atoms it
possesses.
3. Lipids also serve also serve as the medium of some hormones like steroids and vitamin D and
secosteroids.
4. Lipids serve as an insulator of heat, help retail body normal temperature, and protect animals from
extreme coldness. The skin of animals in the Arctic regions like penguins and snow bears are mostly
composed of fats.

The three main types of lipids are triacylglycerols (also called triglycerides), phospholipids, and
sterols.
1. Triacylglycerols (also known as triglycerides)
make up more than 95 percent of lipids in the diet and
are commonly found in fried foods, vegetable oil,
butter, whole milk, cheese, cream cheese, and some
meats. Naturally occurring triacylglycerols are found in
many foods, including avocados, olives, corn, and nuts.
Figure 10
Types of Lipids

We commonly call the triacylglycerols in our food “fats” and “oils.” Fats are lipids that are solid at
room temperature, whereas oils are liquid. As with most fats, triacylglycerols do not dissolve in water. The
terms fats, oils, and triacylglycerols are discretionary and can be used interchangeably. In this chapter when
we use the word fat, we are referring to triacylglycerols.
2. Phospholipids make up only about 2 percent of dietary lipids. They are watersoluble and are
found in both plants and animals. Phospholipids are crucial for building the protective barrier, or
membrane, around your body’s cells. In fact, phospholipids are synthesized in the body to form cell and
organelle membranes. In blood and body fluids, phospholipids form structures in which fat is enclosed and
transported throughout the bloodstream.
3. Sterols are the least common type of lipid. Cholesterol is perhaps the best wellknown sterol.
Though cholesterol has a notorious reputation, the body gets only a small amount of its cholesterol through
food—the body produces most of it. Cholesterol is an important component of the cell membrane and is
required for the synthesis of sex hormones, vitamin D, and bile salts.

Activity: LIPID FEED

Directions: Answer the scientists’ inquiries. Write your answer on the callout provided.
 Tell me the
difference between
fats and oils

Describe to me briefly
the 3 types of lipids

Describe to me briefly the

difference between saturated
and unsaturated fatty acids

Activity
Directions: Describe briefly word/s, phrases based on the background information of lipids given to you
1. cutin-______________________________________________________________
2. Phospholipid bilayer- _________________________________________________
3. kink- ______________________________________________________________
4. diglycerides- ________________________________________________________
5. Dehydration synthesis- ________________________________________________
6. sebum- ____________________________________________________________
7. Glycerol- ___________________________________________________________
8. animal fats-_________________________________________________________

Nucleic Acids “Strings of Life”

Nucleic acids are commonly known as DNA and RNA

Figure 12
molecules. DNA and RNA molecules rest in the nucleus of cells.
Nucleic acids are composed of the elements carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen and phosphorus. The following are the biochemical
importance of nucleic acids:
1. DNA and RNA molecules store genetic information or
genes of organisms that contain traits that can be passed down Figure 11
Double Helix Nucleic Acid
from parents to offspring.
2. DNA and RNA molecules particularly function for the
formation of proteins.

Nucleotide is the monomer of polynucleotide (DNA and RNA). A molecule of nucleotide is

composed of pentose sugar, a nitrogenous base, and a phosphate group (Refer to Figure 12)

To produce a polynucleotide, dehydration synthesis happens between two or more nucleotides.

Specifically, it happens between a phosphate group of one nucleotide and the sugar
 group of the next nucleotide. When two nucleotides undergo dehydration synthesis, a dinucleotide is
formed. When three or more, a polynucleotide is formed. Nucleotides are joined together by a bond called
phosphodiester bond.
The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) are the nucleic acids found in living
organisms. Both the DNA and RNA carry genetic information about an organism. What is then the
difference between DNA and RNA? The table below shows the differences between DNA and RNA:
Nitrogenous bases establish complementary base pairs. Such complementary bases pairings are
applicable in DNA. Because of this, one strand of polynucleotide can form complementary base pair with
another strand of polynucleotide. The complementary base pairing of two-stranded polynucleotide
produces DNA forming the double helix which appears like ladder. This remarkable complementary base
pairing and establishing of helical appearance of DNA were discovered by James Watson and Francis
Crick. In RNA, such base pairings also exist. However, instead of Thymine (T) pairing up with Adenine
(A), Uracil (U) establishes complementary base pair with Adenine (A). The figure below shows the
structure of the four nitrog enous bases.

Figure 13.
Structure of
Nitrogenous
Bases

Table 5:
Comparison between DNA and RNA
Basis of Comparison DNA RNA
Codes for amino acids and
Store and transfer genetic acts as a messenger between
Role
information DNA and ribosomes to make
proteins
Strand Double Single
Sugar Deoxyribose Ribose
Nitrogen Bases Cytosine (C)-Guanine Cytosine (C)- Guanine (G)
Pairings (G) Adenine (A)- Thymine (T) Adenine (A)- Uracil (U)
Stability in Alkaline
Stable Unstable
Conditions

Activity
Directions: Identify what is/are being asked. Write your answer on the space provided for.
 ______________________________1. Monomer of polynucleotide
______________________________2. Composition of a polynucleotide
______________________________3. Bond that exists between polynucleotide formation
______________________________4. Four Nitrogenous bases of DNA
______________________________5. Four Nitrogenous bases of RNA
______________________________6. Elements present in nucleic acid

Activity
Directions: Complete the table below. Write your answer on the space provided for.
Nuclei Sugar Nitrogen Base Pairing
c Acid
Cytosine 1_______________
_
DNA Deoxyribose
Thymine 2_______________
_
4______________ Adenine
3_____________ __
RNA
__ Guanine 5_______________
__

Activity: PONDER MORE!

Answer the following questions. To support your idea, you may add some scientific evidences.
1. Explain why Carbohydrates are the “chief and main” source of energy?
2. Why do you think marathon runners eat a meal rich in carbohydrates the day before the race?
3. Why do diabetic people take insulin in their body? What causes them to do so?
4. If you have lactose intolerance, what do you think is the best remedy to avoid the effects of it?
5. Explain how proteins serve as structural component of the living cell.
6. What will the body look like if proteins are not present?
7. Glycerol is needed when you need a diet that is high in unsaturated fatty acids, what fat/oil? Why?
8. Explain how lipids serve as “insulator” of human body.
9. Give some reasons why nucleic acids are said to be the “Strings of Life”?
10. Explain the role of nucleic acid in the formation of proteins.

PERFORMANCE TASK
Choose one of the following activities as your performance-based output.

Activity Instructions
Make slogan in a long bond paper about importance of biomolecules in
Slogan the human body. Use English words only. You may add colors.

Make poster in a long bond paper showing one importance of

Poster biomolecules in the human body.

Make an acrostic on the word BIOMOLECULES. You may choose

Acrostic whether importance or examples of biomolecules.
 Rubric for Scoring

Source: Rubric for Evaluating Poster-Slogans. Retrieved from:

https://www.scribd.com/document/258018827/Rubric-for-Evaluating-Poster-Making

Activity : Iodine Test for Starch

Starch can be identified by its reaction with iodine solution. The presence of starch in the sample is
indicated by the change in color of iodine which is originally dark brown when dropped into a sample to
color ranges from blue to black. This activity was done for you.
Check the corresponding columns whether the tested sample contains starch or otherwise.
No. Tested Sample Color Change Presence of Starch Absence of Starch
1 Cooked pasta Dark blue
2 Potato Black
3 Cooked rice Blue-black
4 Apple Brown
5 Milk Brown