Biochemistry

BIOMOLECULES AND
CELLS
Biomolecules: Molecules of Life
 Only 27 naturally occurring chemical
elements are dispensable in different
living organism.
 The four most abundant elements in the

earth crust are oxygen, silicon,
aluminium, and iron while the four most
abundant elements in living organism
are hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and
nitrogen while make up about 99% of the
mass of the cells.
Table 1. The four most abundant
elements in living organisms
 CHON readily form covalent bonds by
electron pair sharing . H needs 1, O needs
2, N needs 3 and C needs 4 electrons to
complete their outer electron shells and thus
from stable covalent bonds.
 Furthermore, C,N, and O can share either
one or two electron pairs to create single or
double bonds, a capacity that endows them
considerable versatility of chemical bonding.
 Note that C,H, O and N are the lightest

elements capable of forming covalent bonds.
 Single bonds are 200 to 450 Kj/mole,
double bonds are 500- 700 kj/mole and
triple bond are -900 kj/ mole ( hardest to
make or break)
 The most significant property of carbon

atom is the capacity to bond with each
other. It also forms covalent bonds with
O,H,N,S and many different kinds of
functional groups.
Strengths of Bonds Common in
Biomolecules
 Many different three- dimensional
structures can be achieved by carbon to
carbon bonding because of tetrahedral
configuration of electron pairs around
single bonded carbon.
 No other chemical element can form

molecules of such widely different sizes
and shapes or with such a variety of
functional groups.
Bimolecular Hierarchy
 The most prominent aspect of the bimolecular
organization is that structures are constructed
from a simple molecules.
1. The major precursors ( such as water, carbon
dioxide, ammonium, nitrate, dinitrogen) are
converted to metabolites.
2. Metabolites are used to building blocks (such as
amino acids , sugars, nucleotides, fatty acids and
glycerol) of macromolecules ( such as protein,
polysaccharides and polynucleotides and lipids)
3. Interaction among macromolecules lead to
supramolecular complexes ( Such as
multifunctional enzyme complexes ribosomes,
chromosomes and cytoskeletal elements.)
4. The next is organelles ( such as the
nucleus mitochondria, chloroplasts,
endoplasmic reticulum. )
5. Membranes define the boundaries of
cells and organelles. They resemble
supramolecular complexes in their
construction because of they are complexes
of proteins.
6. The cell is characterized as the unit of
life, the smallest entity capable of
displaying the attributes associated
uniquely with the living state.
The molecular organization in
the cell, a hierarchy
Properties of the Biomolecules
 Some biomolecules carry the ‘’ recipe of
life’’ while others synthesize structures
essential to life.
 There are several properties of
biomolecules that reflect their fitness to
the living condition.
 First, they have a ‘’sense’’ or ‘’

directionality. Polymerization to form
macromolecules occurs by head-to-tail
connections.
Head-to-Tail connection
 The second important attribute of
biomolecules is that they are
informational.
 Similar to how the letters can form words

when arranged, the sequence of
monomeric unit has the potential to
contain information.
Arranged monomeric units give
information
 Covalent bond hold atoms together while
weak chemical forces or noncovalent
bonds ( hydrogen bonds, Van der Waal’s
forces, ionic interactions and hydrophobic
interaction)
 Biomolecules have a characteristic
three-dimensional structure such as in
protein, which gives their identifying
characteristic.
 The typical analogy for this is connecting
pieces of the puzzle and the lock and key
model.
Structural
Complementarity
Organization and Structure of
Cells
 The size and shape of biomolecules are of
crucial importance in another way. The
dimensions, shape and properties of the
simple building block biomolecules.
 All cells are share a common ancestor
and fall into one of three broad categories.
Archea and bacteria are referred to as
prokaryotes.
 These are single-celled organism that lack
nuclei and other organelles. On the other
hand eukaryotes have true nuclei and
other organelles.
Phylogeny of the Three
domains of life
 Archea as recognized by Carl Woose in
the 1980s, inhabit extreme environments
which include the thermoacidophiles
( heat- and acid-loving bacteria) of hot
spring.
 The Halophiles ( salt- loving bacteria) of
salt lakes and ponds.
 The methanogens ( bacteria that

generate methane from CO2 and H2)
 The most-studied bacterium, Escherichia
coli.

Biochemistry

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BIOMOLECULES AND

 The four most abundant elements in the

 Note that C,H, O and N are the lightest

 The most significant property of carbon

 No other chemical element can form

 First, they have a ‘’sense’’ or ‘’

 Similar to how the letters can form words

 The methanogens ( bacteria that

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