Macromolecular Compounds Macromolecules are compounds that are very important in human life processes because of their very important function. There are four main classes of biological macromolecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. In general, the functions of macromolecular compounds include as energy sources (carbohydrates and lipids), structure builders (carbohydrates and lipids), biocatalysts (proteins) and genetic information generators (nucleic acids). Macromolecular compounds are organic compounds that have a large molecular weight (ÿ 1000 daltons), therefore macromolecular compounds are very identical to the group of polymer compounds. Of the four macromolecular compounds that will be explained further, only the lipid group cannot be categorized as a group of polymer compounds. Polymers are chains of similar subunits, or monomers, linked together by covalent bonds. In proteins, the monomers are amino acids; in carbohydrates, the monomers are saccharides; and in nucleic acids, the monomers are nucleotides. Lipids are a group of compounds consisting of diverse constituent components, which can come in various non polymeric forms. In studying macromolecular compounds (polymers) it will not can be released from the presence of the constituent compounds of these macromolecules or their monomers. In the human body and other living creatures, the function of a macromolecule can sometimes be obtained if the constituent elements or monomers of the macromolecular compound have been formed, therefore the balance of knowledge between macro and micromolecules must go hand in hand. For example, carbohydrates has a function as an energy source, where energy is produced from the respiratory process. The question is, are carbohydrates what can produce energy? The answer is of course no, energy will be produced from the respiration process which involves the reaction between glucose and oxygen which will produce CO2 and H2O as well as ATP (energy). CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrates are classified into four types: mono saccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. Lay people know carbohydrates as polysaccharide molecules which are polymer compounds which consists of mono saccharides or also known as sugar. Mono saccharides are bonded together to form polysaccharides through glycosidic bonds. The most common monosaccharide is glucose, which is one of the most valuable sugars for all animals and plants. The function of carbohydrates is to act as a source of energy and structure for all living things. For plants, starch is the main energy source and cellulose is what forms the structure. For animals, glycogen supplies energy and chitin forms structures. Carbohydrates can be expressed by the formula (CH2O)n, where n is the number of carbon atoms in the molecule. In other words, the ratio of carbon to hydrogen to oxygen is fixed at a ratio of 1:2:1 in each carbohydrate molecule. LIPIDS Lipids are one of the components of living things which have the basic property of being insoluble in water solvents. In general, there are four The types of lipids that are the subject of biochemical studies are fats/oils, steroids, phospholipids and waxes. The main function of these lipids is as an energy reserve. The concept of energy formation from lipids is quite different from carbohydrates. In addition, lipids are also used to protect and protect the human body. A body that has a layer of fat just under the skin will be able to help maintain the body's internal temperature even if the external temperature is abnormal. Therefore, vital organs in the human body, such as the kidneys, have a layer of fat around them that acts like bubble wrap to protect them from injury. Fat/oil compounds are a type of lipid compound that is widely known, especially those related to food science and technology. Sometimes, there is also a misunderstanding that lipids are considered fats/oils. Fats/oils are compounds formed from the esterification process of three fatty acids with glycerol. Therefore, fats/oils are also known as triglycerides. Fats/oils can have fatty acids in saturated or unsaturated form. Saturated fatty acids are found in fats found in animals and are solid at room temperature; while unsaturated fatty acids are found in oils found in plants and are in the form of liquid or oil at room temperature. Phospholipids consist of two fatty acids, a glycerol unit, a phosphate group, and a polar molecule. The existence of phospholipids is often associated with the function of cell membranes in living creatures. Meanwhile, steroids and wax are other types of lipid compounds which also have water insoluble characteristics. Steroids are biologically active organic compounds with four rings arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two main biological functions: as important components of cell membranes that alter membrane fluidity; and as a signal molecule. Examples of steroid compounds are cholesterol, sex hormones (progesterone, estrogen and testosterone). Wax is a type of lipid compound whose composition is almost similar to fat. The fundamental difference between the forms of fat and lipid is the type of alcohol that makes up them. The type of alcohol in fats is generally glycerol, while limine generally contains alcohol with a higher molecular weight. PROTEINS Proteins are very important macromolecules; they have many levels of structure and a number of functions. Every cell in the human body contains protein and most body fluids also contain protein. Proteins make up most of human skin, organs, muscles and glands. Protein helps the body repair cells and make new ones, and is an important food and energy requirement, especially for growing teenagers and pregnant women. Proteins are polymers formed by amino acid monomers. Because there are 20 chemically different amino acids that can form long chains of protein molecules with various arrangements, this creates many variations in protein molecules which result in many functions of the protein itself. Proteins can function as enzymes or hormones. Enzymes, produced by living cells, are catalysts in biochemical reactions (such as digestion). Each enzyme is specific for a particular substrate. Enzymes can function to break molecular bonds, rearrange bonds, or form new bonds. An example of an enzyme is salivary amylase, which breaks down amylose, a component of starch. Hormones are chemical signaling molecules, generally protein or steroid molecules, secreted by endocrine glands or groups of endocrine cells that act to control or regulate specific physiological processes, including growth, development, metabolism, and reproduction. An example is insulin, where insulin is a protein hormone that maintains blood glucose levels.Proteins have different shapes and molecular weights. Naturally, some proteins are globular while others are fibrous.For example, hemoglobin is a globular protein, but collagen, which is found in our skin, is a fibrous protein. Protein compounds are very easily affected by changes in temperature, pH, and exposure to chemicals can cause permanent changes in the shape of the protein, leading to loss of function of the protein. This is better known as the denaturation event. Amino acids are the monomers that make up proteins. Each amino acid has the same basic structure, which consists of a central carbon atom bonded to an amino group (–NH2), a carboxyl group (–COOH), and hydrogen atoms. Each amino acid also has another variable atom or group of atoms bonded to the central carbon atom known as the R group. The R group is the only structural difference between the 20 amino acids. Combining amino acids to form a protein molecule will be bridged by covalent bonds that known as peptide bonds. NUCLEIC ACID Nucleic acids are key macromolecules in survival. They carry the genetic blueprint of the cell and carry instructions for the cell's function. The two main types of nucleic acid are deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA is the genetic material found in all living organisms, from single-celled bacteria to multicellular mammals. Another type of nucleic acid, RNA, is mostly involved in protein synthesis. DNA molecules never leave the nucleus, but instead use RNA to communicate with other parts of the cell. Other types of RNA are also involved in protein synthesis and its regulation. DNA and RNA consist of monomers known as nucleotides. Nucleotides combine with each other to form polynucleotides, DNA or RNA. Each nucleotide consists of three components: a nitrogen base, a pentose (five carbon) sugar, and a phosphate group. Each nitrogen base in a nucleotide is attached to a sugar molecule, which is attached to a phosphate group. In other words, it can be said that each nucleotide consists of a pentose sugar, a nitrogen base and a phosphate group.