Biomolecules In Biology

Global temperatures are steadily rising due to anthropogenic causes; this increase in temperature is causing changes to ocean properties that can impact the organisms that call this medium their home. One of the most evident impacts of climate change on the world’s oceans is the resulting raise in ocean surface temperatures. Rising ocean temperatures can directly affect biogenic reef building organisms like corals which produce some of the most diverse and productive ecosystems in the world. Previous studies within this field have determined that climate change is a notable stressor for these corals causing large scale bleaching events; where they release their photosynthetic symbionts. Once the symbionts of these organisms are released corals begin to starve and ultimately die resulting in

Coral reefs exist all over the world and are generally known as being one of the most diverse, intricate and beautiful of all existing marine habitats. They have many varying structures which are developed by algae and are symbiotic with various reef building corals which are referred to as, zooxanthellae (algae). There are many other factors such as, coralline algae, sponges and other various organisms that are combined with a number of cementation processes which also contribute to reef growth, (CORAL REEFS, 2015).

Macromolecules are huge molecules that are formed when smaller molecules collide into each other which created a much bigger one. It usually happens when a condensation reaction occurs. Macromolecules are also referred as polymers, “poly” meaning many. The way I remember the word macromolecules was when my High School biology teacher referred “Mac” in macromolecules as the Big Mac from McDonalds, which is supposed to be bigger than other burgers. Everything has macromolecules in them, such as plastic, rubber and even diamonds! There are four classes of Biological Macromolecules, Protein, Nucleic Acids, Carbohydrates and Lipids.

Carbon has unique properties that allow macromolecules to form. One is that carbon can form four covalent bonds. This is because of the four valence electrons it has. A carbon atom can have a triple bond with one atom and still have an extra electron to share with another atom. Carbon bonds can take on different shapes: linear, branched, or ring-shaped. Carbon also bonds with functional groups. Functional groups are molecules with unique chemical characteristics and properties. These include hydroxyl and phosphate groups. Carbon containing molecules can have multiple forms. These different forms are called isomers. These different molecules can have the same molecular formula but will have different shapes and characteristics. Structural isomers

Enantiomers are two same chemical moieties which have a different spatial arrangement. They are described as mirror images of each other, that is they are non-superimposable. They have similar physical properties but differs in some chemical properties. The two different arrangements are classifieds as L- and D-, depending upon the functional group of reference.

The acidification that is happening within the ocean is affecting numerous animals and plants that have calcium carbonate skeletons and shells. IUCN states “These become very sensitive when the acidic level changes even the slightest bit and there is even evidence that some species are already being affected and we can see that the loss is already starting”.

Hypothesis: If we submerge Chicken, Steak, and Fish into Coca Cola then there will be no changes to any of the meats.

The effects of Ocean Acidification on the physiology of marine organisms has long been observed, as the subsequently depletion of calcium carbonate impedes the proper development of marine calcifiers. One such calcifiers, however, has exhibited considerable tolerance to alterations in seawater acidity. Indeed, through the plastic response of gene expression and modulation, the larvae of the Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, or Purple Sea Urchin, have inherited a tolerance to low pH and high temperature conditions; an adaptation which will, undeniably, prove essential for survival in this newly acidic aquatic world. This review presents the Purple Sea Urchin as a case study, to demonstrate the potential of genomic analysis to greatly augment

There are four major classes of macromolecules. They are lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids. There are many similarities between these macromolecules, and they all play a very important role in biology. However, there are also many differences, especially between lipids and the other three groups.

Module two presented three main concepts: biological molecules, enzymes, and cellular structures. A biological molecule is an organic molecule composed of two or more atoms that are bound together by a chemical bond. The organic molecules discussed in this module were carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and vitamins. Carbohydrates are hydrophilic molecules meaning that they can dissolve in water. They are made up of sugars, starches, and fibers. Sugars are the simplest form of a carbohydrate, and can bind together through covalent bonds to make the more complex starches and fibers. The binding of these multiple sugar units makes a macromolecule that is referred to as a polymer. Lipids are hydrophobic molecules meaning that they cannot dissolve in water. They are classified as triglycerides, cholesterol, phospholipids, and fatty acids. They are what we commonly refer to as fats and oils. Proteins are polymers that are made up of multiple amino acids bound together by covalent bonds. Vitamins are essential nutrients which the body cannot synthesize, so the vitamins must be consumed in the diet. There are two types of vitamins: water soluble vitamins and lipid soluble vitamins. The names of these types of vitamins are give due to the substance

The physical environment of coral reefs, like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, are essentially made up of “reef-building corals ( or hermatypic)”2 which are formed by polyps, very small, vulnerable animals that unite together to coral colonies by excreting calcium carbonate to protect their soft bodies. To be able to build up a coral reef and survive, the polyps are in a symbiotic relationship with algae called zooxanthellae. These algae provide the corals with for example their significant color and increase the

The four macromolecules presented in all living organism are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. The carbohydrates are made up of sugars. This provides a major source of energy. When carbohydrates are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Then proteins have a large amount of amino acids. Most of the muscles are made up proteins. Proteins also have special helpers that are called enzymes that help regulate all the chemical reaction inside the body. Lipids reserve energy. There are three important lipids and they include fats, steroids, and phospholipids. Finally, the nucleic acids houses the DNA and RNA. Nucleic acids then stores and transmits genetic information.

Proteins are one of the main macromolecules that are important for human function. This study examines the presence of proteins in the given samples. The Biuret reagent created a color transitioned on the various samples. The Biuret reagent is an aqueous solution that is composed of sodium hydroxide and copper (II) sulfate. The copper ions in the Biuret reagent react with the peptide bonds which cause the color change in the test samples. The amount of protein in the various samples determined the color transition. The sample solutions with lower presence of protein did not change color as opposed to the sample solutions with a higher presence of

There are four macromolecules present in a living organism. The first one Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are also known as sugars, they are the major source of energy for daily activities. Proteins are the second macromolecules present in living organisms. Proteins are used in the process of a cell's structural components proteins are important to the structure of the cell’s membrane and they make up half of the dry weight in most cells. Lipids are the third presence in a living organism. Lipids are a type of organic molecule, and they are abundant in living organisms. Fat is one kind of lipid, they are hydrophobic and their function is to store energy in the organism. The last one is Nucleic acids. They are composed of nucleotides. Nucleotides

Below are the four macromolecules present in all living organisms and functions as described in the Essential Biology: An Applied Approach: