Introduction to Biomolecules

Introduction 

A biomolecule, often known as a biological molecule, is a phrase used to describe compounds present in living things that are necessary for one or more biological processes, such as cell division, morphogenesis or development. Large macromolecules (or polyanions) like proteins, carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids, as well as tiny primary metabolites, secondary metabolites are all biomolecules . Biological materials are the name for this type of substance. Biomolecules are vital components of all living things. While endogenous biomolecules are produced within the organism. Organisms often require the presence of exogenous biomolecules, such as certain nutrients.

The study of cellular activities in live creatures and how these processes relate to the organism’s functioning is a crucial focus of biochemistry. Over the last century, biochemistry research has been highly successful regarding biomolecules .We now comprehend the atoms and biomolecules that make living beings. One of the most fundamental findings of biochemistry research is that all creatures are molecularly uniform.

Properties of Biomolecules

Biomolecules are organic compounds but, unlike other organic molecules, they are the same chemical types, react in the same manner and follow the same physical principles.

Composition and Structure

Carbon is the most abundant element in biomolecules and it operates the same way it does in organic compounds, creating four bonds in a tetrahedral structure, linear, branching, cyclic or aromatic carbon skeletons are all possible. H, O, N, P and S are also essential elements. Biological systems require about 30 elements, including iodine and numerous metals, albeit most of these are  required in trace amounts. Biomolecules have the same types of functional groups as organic molecules, such as hydroxyl, amino, carbonyl and carboxyl groups, among others.

Many biomolecules are polyfunctional, meaning they contain two or more functional groups that can impact the reactivity of each other. 

Biomolecules  have two categories based on molecular weight  and solubility .

Micromolecules or biomicromolecules -are typically smaller . They  have molecular weights of 18 to  800 Da(dalton) and  high solubility. Micromolecule may be inorganic or organic compound( minerals, amino acid and nucleotides etc).

Macromolecules or biomacromolecules- are large sized. They have  high molecular weight ( 800- 1000 dalton except lipids ) and low solubility. Macromolecules are carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acid and lipids.

The majority of biomolecules have distinct 3-dimensional forms due to their vast size. Numerous non-covalent connections between atoms in the molecule keep the molecule’s three-dimensional shape and so on.

Type of Biomolecules

Amino Acids and Proteins

• Amino acids are tiny molecules

•  They are organic acids with carboxylic acid having an amino group, generally attached to carbon next to the carboxylic group 

• They are utilized to build proteins, produce energy and synthesize other compounds such as hormones

•  Proteins are amino acid polymers. They have molecular weights ranging from a few thousand to over a million and fold into precise shapes
•  Proteins serve as enzymes (reaction catalysts), structural elements, transport molecules, antibodies and other functions

Carbohydrates (sugar & starch)

•  Carbohydrates are polyhydroxy aldoses, ketoses and their condensation products
• They provide a significant amount of energy to biological systems
• Polysaccharides are monosaccharide polymers. Polysaccharides   used as structural elements or as a source of metabolic energy
• The monosaccharide includes almost 1 unit, where the Oligosaccharides with 2-10 units and the polysaccharides include more than 10 units

Lipids (fats & oils)

• Lipids are fatty acid esters of alcohols and related substances

• Lipids are water-insoluble compounds

• Chemically, they differ from one another kinds of biomolecules, with around a half-dozen primary varieties identified by their water insolubility 

• Lipids are employed in the generation and storage of energy, as well as hormones, cell membrane structural elements and vitamins
•  Although lipids can not polymerise to create macromolecules, they can assemble non-covalently to form massive structures

Nucleotides and Nucleic Acids

• Nucleotides are tiny molecules with molecular weights in the hundreds of thousands

• They help enzymes catalyze processes by transferring energy and assisting them

•  Large polymers of nucleotides are  nucleic acids (DNA and RNA)
• They take the shape of a double helix  structure and are responsible for storing, conveying and utilising genetic information

Small Organic Molecules

• In addition to the primary classes of biomolecules, cells require a large number of relatively small organic molecules for extremely particular tasks; many molecules do not cleanly fit into one of the broad groups listed above
• These molecules can be precursors to macromolecules that aid enzyme function (typically linked to vitamins) or intermediates in metabolic processes, among other things

Inorganic Ions

• Many inorganic ions are required by cells, even though they are not biomolecules

• They are often required at microscopic levels(as a trace element)

• Calcium, sodium, iron, magnesium, potassium, chlorine, and other minerals are among them. Inorganic ions serve as structural elements (calcium in bone), osmotic pressure and transport regulators (sodium), and components of proteins and enzymes, among other things (iron)

Combinations of Biomolecules

•  A lipoprotein (lipid plus protein) or a glycoprotein (glycoprotein) are examples of biomolecules that comprise components from two of the major types (carbohydrate plus protein)

Conclusion

In this article, you read about Biomolecules along with their properties and types of biomolecules.