Essential Information & explanations, latest texts & monographs on
Biomolecule.
Merck Index: An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, & Biologicals by Maryadele J. O'Neil
Molecular Modeling and Simulation by Tamar Schlick
Biochemistry, Vol. 1: Biomolecules, Mechanisms of Enzyme Action, and Metabolism by Donald Voet
Bionanotechnology : Lessons from Nature by David S. Goodsell
Energy Landscapes : Applications to Clusters, Biomolecules and Glasses by David Wales
Basic HPLC and CE of Biomolecules by Robert L. Cunico
Biochemistry, Biomolecules, Solutions Manual by Donald Voet
Principles and Practice of Bioanalysis by Richard F. Venn
Surface and Interfacial Aspects of Biomedical Polymers: Protein Adsorption by Joseph D. Andrade
Downstream Processing of Natural Products : A Practical Handbook by Miichael S. Verrall
Biomolecular Nmr Spectroscopy by Jeremy N.S. Evans
Our Molecular Nature: The Body's Motors, Machines and Messages by David S. Goodsell
Introduction to Mass Spectrometry by J. Throck Watson
Separation Processes in Biotechnology by Juan A. Asenjo
Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry by Richard B. Cole
Biomolecule
A biomolecule is a compound that naturally occurs in living organisms. Biomolecules consist primarily of carbon and hydrogen, along with nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur. Other elements sometimes are incorporated but these are much less common.
Table of contents showTocToggle("show","hide")
1 Introduction
2 Types of biomolecule
3 Nucleosides & Nucleotides
4 Saccharides
5 Lipids
6 Hormones
7 Amino acids
7.1 Protein structure
7.2 Metalloproteins
8 Vitamins
9 See also
Introduction
Biomolecules are necessary for the existence of all known forms of life. For example, humans possess skin and hair. The main component of hair is keratin, an agglomeration of proteins which are themselves polymers built from amino acids. Amino acids are some of the most important building blocks used, in nature, to construct larger molecules. Another type of building block is the nucleotides, each of which consists of three components: either a purine or pyrimidine base, a pentose sugar and a phosphate group. These nucleotides, mainly, form the nucleic acids.
Besides the polymeric biomolecules, numerous small organic molecules are absorbed or synthesised by living systems.
Many biomolecules may be useful or important drugs.
Types of biomolecule
A diverse range of biomolecules exist, including:
Nucleosides & Nucleotides
Nucleosides are molecules formed by attaching a nitrogenous base to a ribose ring. Examples of these include cytidine, uridine, adenosine, guanosine, thymidine and inosine.
Nucleosides can be phosphorylated by specific kinases in the cell, producing nucleotides, which are the molecular building blocks of DNA and RNA.
Saccharides
Monosaccharides are carbohydrates in the form of simple sugars.
Disaccharides are formed from two monosaccharides joined together. Monosaccharides and disaccharides are sweet, water soluble, and crystalline.
Examples of monosaccharides include the hexoses (glucose, fructose, and galactose) and pentoses (ribose, deoxyribose). Examples of disaccharides include sucrose, maltose, and lactose.
Polysaccharides are polymerized monosaccharides, complex unsweet carbohydrates. They are, generally, large and often have a complex, branched, connectivity. They are insoluble in water and do not form crystals. Examples include starch, cellulose, and glycogen. Shorter polysaccharides, with 2-15 monomers, are sometimes known as oligosaccharides.
Lipids
Lipids are chiefly fatty acid esters, and are the basic building blocks of biological membranes. Another biological role is energy storage (e.g., triglycerides). Most lipids consist of a polar or hydrophilic head and one to three nonpolar or hydrophobic fatty acid tails, and therefore they are amphiphilic. Fatty acids consist of unbranched chains of carbon atoms that are connected by single bonds alone (saturated fatty acids) or by both single and double bonds (unsaturated fatty acids). The chains are usually 14-24 carbon groups long.
For lipids present in biological membranes, the hydrophilic head is from one of three classes:
- Glycolipids, whose heads contain an oligosaccharide with 1-15 saccharide residues.
- Phospholipids, whose heads contain a positively charged group that is linked to the tail by a negatively charged phosphate group.
- Sterols, whose heads contain a planar steroid ring, for example, cholesterol.
Hormones
Hormones are produced in the endocrine glands, where they are excreted into the bloodstream. They perform a wide range of roles in the various organs including the regulation of metabolic pathways and the regulation of membrane transport processes.
Hormones may be grouped into three structural classes:
- The steroids are one class of such hormones. They perform a variety of functions, but they are all made from cholesterol.
- Simple amines or amino acids.
- Peptides or proteins.
Amino acids
Amino acids are molecules that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. ( In biochemistry, the term amino acid is used when referring to those amino acids in which the amino and carboxylate functionalities are attached to the same carbon, plus proline which is not actually an amino acid).
Amino acids are the building blocks of long polymer chains. With 2-10 amino acids such chains are called peptides, with 10-100 they are often called polypeptides, and longer chains are known as proteins. These protein structures have many structural and functional roles in organisms.
There are twenty amino acids that are encoded by the standard genetic code, but there are more than 500 natural amino acids. When amino acids other than the set of twenty are observed in proteins, this is usually the result of modification after translation (protein synthesis). Only two amino acids other than the standard twenty are known to be incorporated into proteins during translation, in certain organisms:
Besides those used in protein synthesis, other biologically important amino acids include carnitine (used in lipid transport within a cell), ornithine, GABA and taurine.
Protein structure
The particular series of amino acids that form a protein is known as that protein's primary structure. Proteins have several, well-classified, elements of local structure and these are termed secondary structure. The overall 3D structure of a protein is termed its tertiary structure. Proteins often aggregate into macromolecular structures, or quaternary structure.
Metalloproteins
A metalloprotein is a protein that contains a metal cofactor. The metal may be an isolated ion or may be coordinated with an nonprotein organic compound, such as the porphyrin group found in hemoproteins. In some cases, the metal is coordinated with both a side chain of the protein and an inorganic nonmetallic ion. This type of protein-metal-nonmetal structure is found in iron-sulfur clusters.
Vitamins
A vitamin is a compound that can not be synthesized by a given organism but is nonetheless vital to its survival or health. These compounds must be absorbed, or eaten, but typically only in trace quantities.
See also
The above article is adapted from from Wikipedia All Wikipedia article text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
Recent related patents from USPTO:
6737508: DNA sequences from staphylococus aureus bacteriophages 3A, 77, and 96 that encode anti-microbial polypeptides
6737280: Amidopyrylium fluorescence dyes
6737279: Tuning the properties of conjugated polyelectrolytes and application in a biosensor platform
6737278: Ligand binding assay and kit with a separation zone for disturbing analytes
6735471: Method and system for endotracheal/esophageal stimulation prior to and during a medical procedure
6734436: Optical microfluidic devices and methods
6734310: Fluorescent marker
6734294: Isotopically enriched nucleic acids and associated methods for the production and purification thereof
6734022: Method and apparatus for desorption and ionization of analytes
6734012: Low fluorescence nylon/glass composites for micro-analytical diagnostic applications
6734005: Matrix metalloproteinases
6733471: Hemostatic system and components for extracorporeal circuit
6731827: Polarization-sensitive coupled fiber-optic biosensor
6730498: Production of functional proteins: balance of shear stress and gravity
6730485: Methods for identifying ligand binding sites in a biomolecule
6730484: Methods for identifying ligand binding sites in a biomolecule
6730324: Biofunctional hydroxyapatite coatings and microspheres for in-situ drug encapsulation
6730212: Sensor for chemical and biological materials
6730120: Medical device for delivering a therapeutic substance and method therefor
6726883: Spotting pin
6726820: Method of separating biomolecule-containing samples with a microdevice with integrated memory
6723545: Polypeptides having .beta.-1,4-GalNAc transferase activity
6723318: Targeting of biomolecules
6721665: Method for producing and screening mass-coded combinatorial libraries for drug discovery and target validation
6721587: Membrane and electrode structure for implantable sensor
6720540: Microwave apparatus and methods of performing chemical reactions
6719983: VMP-like sequences of pathogenic Borrelia
6719896: Fluid-filtration receptacle with user-variable semi-permeable drain assembly
6719840: In situ crystal growth and crystallization
6718742: Magnetic particle composition
6718208: Method and system for nerve stimulation prior to and during a medical procedure
6717137: Systems and methods for inducing infrared multiphoton dissociation with a hollow fiber waveguide
6716948: Controlled-architecture polymers and use thereof as separation media
6716641: Dipstick for carbohydrate-free transferrin assay
6716629: Apparatus for assay, synthesis and storage, and methods of manufacture, use, and manipulation thereof
6716450: Enhancing protein activity through nanoencapsulation
6716412: Methods of ultrasound treatment using gas or gaseous precursor-filled compositions
6714875: Method for producing and screening mass-coded combinatorial libraries for drug discovery and target validation
6714299: Use of light scattering particles in design, manufacture, and quality control of small volume instruments, devices, and processes
6713309: Microarrays and their manufacture
6713274: Method for identifying modulators of sulfotransferase activity
6713272: Attachment of biomolecules to hydrophobic surfaces
6713264: Process and device for the screening of molecules with regard to their individual binding behaviour towards at least one given ligand
6713042: Ascorbic acid analogs for metalloradiopharmaceuticals
6710335: Acoustic sample introduction for analysis and/or processing
6709834: Lipopolysaccharide .alpha.-2,3 sialytransferase of campylobacter jejuni and its uses
6709692: Surface absorbing polymers and the uses thereof to treat hydrophobic or hydrophilic surfaces
6709646: Bioactivated diagnostic imaging contrast agents
6707038: Method and system using acoustic ejection for selective fluid deposition on a nonuniform sample surface
Updates and comments at Essential Facts blog
World Class Photographers
Some philosophical movements
|
|
Interesting Links
Latest Dowloadable
Biomolecule PDF s & Ebooks
Top PDF and eBook Downloads
Bibliographic Resources
Dates
20-th Century
20-th Century Details
Chromosomes and Genomics
Sports
Kitchen Knowledge
Hollywood Icons
Classical Music
Music Directory.
Music: Jazz
Music: Rock
Music: Country
Music: Popular A-E
Music: Popular F-L
Music: Popular M-S
Music: Popular T-Z
Mythology
Philosophy
Politics
Retirement
Agriculture
Agriculture: Flowers
Agriculture: Gardening
Biology
Biology & Biologists
Cell Science
Cell Science: Cells
Cell Science: Stem Cells
California
Cats & Dogs
Ethics
Logic
The Greats
Architectural Dates & Places
Styles ABC
Styles DTOI
Styles JTON
Styles OTOZ
Buddhism
Marketing
Psychology
Enginering Systems 1
Mathematics
Classic Authors
Fear No Exams
Characters & countries
Law & Legal Topics
Linguistics
Movies
Most successful Movies
Science Plus
Science & Computers
Quantum Theory
|