Macromolecules

Calmodulin Calmodulin Hemoglobin Lysozyme

General Information

Table of Contents

  1. Small Molecules
  2. Macromolecules
  3. Synthesis of Macromolecules
  4. Macromolecular Formation
  5. Polymerization of Amino Acids
  6. Polymerization of Sugars

The Cellular Hierchy of Macromolecules

Small Molecules -> Macromolecules -> Supramolecular Structures -> Cellular Components


Small Molecules
- Less than 350 daltons in molecular weight
- Transported into the cell from outside
- H2O soluable
* Macromolecules are too large to enter the cell so small molecules enter and polymerize intracellulary


Macromolecules
Informational Structural
- DNA - Polysaccharides
- RNA * Order is enzymatically determined
- Proteins
* Order of monomers is not random


Synthesis of Macromolecules
  1. Stepwise addition of monomers
  2. Condensation (formation of H2O)
  3. Monomers are added in activated form
  4. Requires energy input
  5. Inherited directionality to polymers
    1. 5'->3'
    2. NH3 -> COOH
    3. alpha 1,4 glycosidic linkage

Macromolecular Formation has an Inherent Conformity
Transition from polymer -> higher order occurs by self assembly -> no further need for energy imput
* Information is contained within the polymers themselves
  1. Charge - charge interactions
  2. Hydroplilic and Hydrophobic interactions
  3. Hydrogen bonding
  4. Steric hinderence
  5. Van der Walls forces

Polymerization of Amino Acids
- The activated form of an amino acid monomer is an Aminoacyl tRNA
- Aminoacyl tRNA is composed of
  1. Aminoacyl AMP = ATP + Amino acid + PiPi
  2. Aminoacyl tRNA synthetase
  3. tRNA
There are two classes of aminoacyl tRNA
- Synthetase I & II

Polymerization of Sugars to Polysaccharides
- The activated monomer of glucose needed to make glycogen is UDP glucose
- UDP glucose = Uridine diphosphate glucose
- Glycogen(n) + UDP glucose = glycogen(n+1)