Compare and Contrast Macromolecule Structures- How Structure Pays for Function
Macromolecules provide essential functions to life, including structural support, a source for stored fuel, an ability to store and retrieve genetic information, among many others. The similarities and differences between the primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures of proteins, membranes, and nucleic acids are critical in understanding biological processes. Nucleic acids and proteins have analogous primary, secondary, and tertiary structures. Proteins and membranes are the only macromolecules that form tertiary and quaternary structures. PRIMARY STRUCTURE
The protein primary structure is composed of 20 varying amino acid subunits. Amino acids …show more content…
The nucleotides are linked by phosphodiester bonds that connect the 5’ carbon of a nucleotide to the oxygen on the 3’ carbon of neighboring nucleotide. The Oxygen and Nitrogen atoms of nucleotide create a polarity on the backbone of nucleotide sequences. An important distinction between DNA and RNA is the nucleotide composition. DNA and RNA both contain purines, Adenine (A) and Guanine (G). However, DNA contains pyrimidines, Cytosine (C) and Thymine (T), whereas RNA only contains pyrimidines Guanine (G) and Uracil (U). They play a central role in metabolism, protein synthesis cell signaling. These subunits are composed of a nitrogenous base, a five- carbon sugar, and at least one phosphate group. Nucleotides are connected through phosphodiester bonds The nitrogenous base, a purine or pyrimidine, serves as a template for replication. The five-carbon sugar is a backbone tThe primary structure of macromolecules includes nucleotides in nucleic acids and amino acids in proteins. Most large biological molecules are composed of repeating monomers covalently bound through dehydration …show more content…
The formation of DNA serves an important role in long-term storage of information. DNA sequences are the blueprint for the composition of biological organisms.
The tertiary structure of the membrane is comprised of a lipid bilayer. The amphiphilic phospholipid molecules create an impermeable membrane through hydrophobic interactions. When organic molecules are placed in a polar environment, an endothermic reaction occurs that decreases the entropy of the system (ΔS). Hydrophobic interactions compensate for the decrease in entropy by “clumping” nonpolar molecules together. The orientation of the lipid tails inward creates a membrane with a nonpolar interior and polar surface. QUATERNARY STRUCTURE
The quaternary structure of the membrane is represented by the fluid mosaic model. Lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates are types of molecules that reside within or among the phospholipid bilayer. Integral proteins are embedded within the bilayer in order to all transportation across the
Macromolecules provide essential functions to life, including structural support, a source for stored fuel, an ability to store and retrieve genetic information, among many others. The similarities and differences between the primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures of proteins, membranes, and nucleic acids are critical in understanding biological processes. Nucleic acids and proteins have analogous primary, secondary, and tertiary structures. Proteins and membranes are the only macromolecules that form tertiary and quaternary structures. PRIMARY STRUCTURE
The protein primary structure is composed of 20 varying amino acid subunits. Amino acids …show more content…
The nucleotides are linked by phosphodiester bonds that connect the 5’ carbon of a nucleotide to the oxygen on the 3’ carbon of neighboring nucleotide. The Oxygen and Nitrogen atoms of nucleotide create a polarity on the backbone of nucleotide sequences. An important distinction between DNA and RNA is the nucleotide composition. DNA and RNA both contain purines, Adenine (A) and Guanine (G). However, DNA contains pyrimidines, Cytosine (C) and Thymine (T), whereas RNA only contains pyrimidines Guanine (G) and Uracil (U). They play a central role in metabolism, protein synthesis cell signaling. These subunits are composed of a nitrogenous base, a five- carbon sugar, and at least one phosphate group. Nucleotides are connected through phosphodiester bonds The nitrogenous base, a purine or pyrimidine, serves as a template for replication. The five-carbon sugar is a backbone tThe primary structure of macromolecules includes nucleotides in nucleic acids and amino acids in proteins. Most large biological molecules are composed of repeating monomers covalently bound through dehydration …show more content…
The formation of DNA serves an important role in long-term storage of information. DNA sequences are the blueprint for the composition of biological organisms.
The tertiary structure of the membrane is comprised of a lipid bilayer. The amphiphilic phospholipid molecules create an impermeable membrane through hydrophobic interactions. When organic molecules are placed in a polar environment, an endothermic reaction occurs that decreases the entropy of the system (ΔS). Hydrophobic interactions compensate for the decrease in entropy by “clumping” nonpolar molecules together. The orientation of the lipid tails inward creates a membrane with a nonpolar interior and polar surface. QUATERNARY STRUCTURE
The quaternary structure of the membrane is represented by the fluid mosaic model. Lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates are types of molecules that reside within or among the phospholipid bilayer. Integral proteins are embedded within the bilayer in order to all transportation across the