4.

3 PROTEINS
Elements in protein
 Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur &
phosphorus
 Basic unit: amino acids
 Amino acids are joined to each other in a particular
sequence to form polypeptide chain or protein
Formation and breakdown of
dipeptides & polypeptides

Peptide bond

condensation

+ + H2O
hydrolysis
Amino Amino dipeptide
acid acid
 condensation
+ + + 2H O
2
hydrolysis
Amino Amino Amino
acid acid acid tripeptide
 condensation

A polypeptide chain
hydrolysis + 9H2O

* 10 to 100 amino acids

Protein Structures
 Complete protein molecule is a simple unbranched
chain of amino acids
 3D protein structure is classified into 4 levels:
1. Primary structure
2. Secondary structure
3. Tertiary structure
4. Quaternary structure
 keratin silk

Enzymes, hormones, antibodies, haemoglobin

Essential amino acids & Non essential
amino acids
 Essential:
 Amino acid that required for protein synthesis, but
cannot be synthesized in the human body
 Obtained from food we eat

 Non essential:
 Amino acid that is required for protein synthesis and
can be synthesized by humans
 Protein from food divided into:
 1st class protein (complete protein)
 Contain all the essential amino acids
 Are animals proteins like meat, fish, dairy and eggs

 Second class proteins (incomplete protein)

 Are low in one or more of the essential amino acids
 Plant proteins like vegetables, beans, peas grains, nuts
& seeds
LIPIDS
LIPIDS
 Consist of C,H and O
 High hydrogen to oxygen ratio
 Non polar hydrophobic compounds
 Include FATS, OILS, WAXES, PHOSPHOLIPIDS and
STEROIDS
 Fats and oils similar chemically
 At room temperature, fats are solid and oils are
liquid
Lipids
Triglycerides (fats & oils)
• composed of a glycerol plus three
fatty acids
•“true” fats
Phospholipids:
•Composed of a diglyceride that
bonded to phosphate group
Function
•Serve as a good energy store
•Stored under skin as insulator
•Transport fat soluble vitamins
•Most abundant lipids in plasma
membrane
•Control cell permeability
Lipids Function
Waxes •Insoluble
•Form a waterproof layer of cuticle on:
1.Epidermis of plants
2.Exoskeleton of insects
3.Feathers of bird
4.Fur of mammals
Steroids
a)Cholesterol Makes the plasma membrane more rigid
& stable

b)Sex hormones (testosterone, oestrogen, Control sexual development & body

progesterone) physiology

c)Bile Emulsifies fats

Components of fats & oils
 2 different kinds of organic molecules that join to
make fats & oils are:
 Glycerol
 Fatty acid
Glycerol
 Colorless, odorless,
sweet –tasting syrupy
liquid
 3 carbon and 3
hydroxyl group (OH)
Fatty acid
 Organic acid
 Molecular structure
 Long hydrocarbon tail
with carboxyl (-
COOH) at one end
 Different fatty acids
have different
hydrocarbon tails
Formation & breakdown of fats & oils
 Saturated fats vs unsaturated fats

Solid state at room temperature

Are in the liquid state (oil) at
room temperature
 Differences between saturated and unsaturated fats
Saturated fats Aspects that are different Unsaturated fats
All covalent bonds between Type of chemical bond Existence of double
carbon atoms are single covalent bonds between
(C-C) carbon atom (C=C)
Less reactive Reactivity More reactive because due
to the double bonds
More tightly packed Packaging of the fat Less tightly packed due to
together molecule the double bonds
Solid (fat) State of matter at room Liquid (oil)
temperature
Mainly from animal Source Mainly from plants:
products: red meat, chicken vegetable oils, palm oil,
skin, butter & coconut oil) corn oil and olive oil
Increase level of “bad” Effects on blood cholesterol Increase levels of “good”
cholesterol level cholesterol