Biomolecules

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. They band together in chains to form proteins.It's a two-step process: Amino acids get together and form peptides or polypeptides. It is from these groupings that proteins are made. A total of 20 different kinds of amino acids forms proteins. The kinds of amino acids determine the shape of the proteins formed. Commonly recognized amino acids include glutamine, glycine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine.

The trace mineral sulfur is one of the major components in the biochemical structure of the amino acids cysteine, methionine, taurine and glutathione. The synthesis of many types of proteins in the body require sulfur to be present, these including proteins that are found primarily in the hair, the muscle tissues and the skin - these fibrous proteins are made from sulfur rich amino acids.

Glycerol belongs to the alcohol family of organic compounds.It is not apolymer of glucose.After ethanol and carbon dioxide, glycerol is the most abundant product of yeast fermentation .It is a syrupy, sweet, colorless or yellowish liquid,obtained from fats and oils as a byproduct of saponification and used as a solvent, an antifreeze, a plasticizer, and a sweetener and in the manufacture of dynamite, cosmetics, liquid soaps, inks, and lubricants.

Lipid molecules found in cell membranes are amiphilic molecules, with one water-soluble end, and one hydrophobic end. The water-soluble end is usually charged, while the hydrophobic end is usually one or more hydrocarbon chains. The lipids found in cell membranes are mostly molecules with two hydrocarbon chains of about 10 carbons. Lipid bilayers are made up of phospholipids that have variable head groups and fatty acid chains.The lipid bilayer acts as a very good electrical insulator and has direct bearing on the way in which the proteins embedded in the lipid bilayer will behave.

Nucleotides are the single units that make up nucleic acids like RNA and DNA - literally the building blocks of life.A nucleotide is the monomer structural unit of nucleotide chains that form the nucleic acids RNA and DNA, as well as several lesser nucleic acids. The nucleotide consists of a heterocyclic nucleobase, a pentose sugar like ribose or deoxyribose, and a phosphate or polyphosphate group.

Steroids function both as hormones such as the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone and as structural material such as cholesterol, an integral part of animal cell membranes. steroids,are the lipids which do not form polymers.

The tertiary structure of a protein is a description of the way the whole chain (including the secondary structures) folds itself into its final 3-dimensional shape. This is often simplified into models like the following one for the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase. Enzymes are, of course, based on proteins.The tertiary structure of a protein is held together by interactions between the the side chains - the R groups. There are several ways this can happen such as ionic interactions,Sulphur bridges,hydrogen bonding.A disulfide bond (SS-bond), also called a disulfide bridge, is a strong covalent bond between two sulfhydryl groups. This bond is very important to the folding, structure, and function of proteins. The presence of S-S then helps to maintain the tertiary structure of the protein. An amino acid that commonly forms S-S bonds in proteins in cysteine.

Proteins are not responsible composition of sex hormones.Two or three fatty acids are usually polymerized with glycerol, but other lipids, such as steroids, which do not form polymers. Steroids function both as hormones such as the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone and as structural material such as cholesterol, an integral part of animal cell membranes.

Sugars that contain 6 carbon atoms in their structure are called hexose sugars. Glucose, galactose, and mannose are aldoses are the examples of hexoses.

Lipids do not functions as enzymes.The function of proteins as enzymes is perhaps their best-known function. Enzymes are catalysts—they initiate a reaction between themselves and another protein, working on the molecule to change it in some way.The enzyme, however, is itself unchanged at the end of the reaction.Enzymes are responsible for catalyzing reactions in processes such as metabolism, DNA replication, and digestion.

The homopolysaccharides possess only a single type of monosaccharide units. Prime examples are Starch, cellulose and glycogen

The nucleic acids are very large molecules that have two main parts. The backbone of a nucleic acid is made of alternating sugar and phosphate molecules bonded together in a long chain. A chain of nucleotides joined together by phosphodiester bonds. Both DNA and RNA are nucleic acids.

It is also known as levulose, fructose is found naturally in fruits and honey. It can also be commercially refined from corn, sugar beets, and sugar cane. Currently, the most popular form of refined fructose is corn syrup, which is added to hundreds of products.

Digestion is cutting things down to a size in which they can be absorbed into the body. Digestion occurs in the gastrointestinal tract-the ,extending from mouth to anus. Whatever food is eaten it flows through this system,until it is absorbed through the intestinal tract. This is because the gastrointestinal tract functions like an internal skin and provides a barrier between whatever is ingested from the outside and internal bloodstream and cells. Part of the digestion process, then, is the selective transport of nutrients through the cell wall that lines your intestinal tract.

If an a-carbon atom has four different groups attached to it. Then it is asymmetric and it exhibits optical isomerism. Except glycine all amino acids exhibit optical activity.

Cysteine, a nonessential amino acid, is one of the 20 building blocks of protein. Cysteine is a part of organic molecules containing an amino group, which can combine in linear arrays to form proteins in living organisms. Cysteine can be synthesized by the body and is not essential to the diet. Its key chemical feature is a thiol group that contains sulfur.

The codons AUG and GUG are called initiating codons. '

Lysine helps the body absorb calcium and decreases the amount of calcium that is lost in urine. Because calcium is crucial for bone health, so lysine helps to prevent bone loss associated with osteoporosis.lysine in combination with L-arginine makes bone-building cells more active and enhances production of collagen.

The functional unit of enzymes is called 'Holoenzyme'. This is made up of 'apoenzyme' which is a protein part and a non protein part called prosthetic group. The prosthetic group which is covalently attached with the enzyme is known as cofactor.

Denaturation is a process by which the native form of protein structure is disorganized. This causes drastic changes in a protein molecule. Denaturation is caused by some physical and chemical agents. Denaturation causes loss in biological activity of protein. The peptide bonds in the primary structure are not hydrolyzed, but helical structure of the protein is lost. Protein is soluble in water but after denaturation it is insoluble and easily digested.Denaturation is usually a irreversible process, but it is sometimes reversible. The coagulation of egg white on boiling of egg protein is an example of irreversible protein denaturation.

The digestive system is the series of tubelike organs that convert our meals into body fuel. In all there's about 30 feet (9 meters) of these convoluted pipeworks, starting with the mouth and ending with the anus. Along the way, food is broken down, sorted, and reprocessed before being circulated around the body to nourish and replace cells and supply energy to our muscles.

These carbohydrates liberate two to ten monosaccharide molecules on hydrolysis. They are further classified as disaccharides, trisaccharides, tetrasaccharides, etc. based on the number of monosaccharide units. For e.g., disaccharides like sucrose produce two molecules of monosaccharides on hydrolysis.

These amino acids are hydrophobic and have no charge on the 'R' group. They have equal number of amino and carboxyl groups and are neutral.The amino acids in this group are alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, phenyl alanine, glycine, tryptophan, methionine and proline.

Albinism is caused due to the deficiency of enzyme tyrosinase. People with albinism always have problems with vision (not correctable with eyeglasses) and many have low vision. The degree of vision impairment varies with the different types of albinism