Importance Of Biological Macromolecules

An organic molecule is just any molecule, or group of atoms, that is found in living things. When an organic molecule is particularly large, it is called a biological macromolecule. The term “macro” means large-scale. Biological macromolecules are composed into four groups-lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates. Each of these macromolecules play their own specific roles in cells. In order to understand how these molecules are important, we need to understand some basics of how a cell functions.

A cell needs to store energy so that it can move, make proteins, divide, and transport materials. Because a cell cannot generate its own energy, it is found in the form of food molecules or sunlight. Human and animal cells get their energy from food molecules. These food molecules come in different forms, including proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. This is where biomacromolecules come into place, as they those sources of energy. Carbohydrates are the prefered source of energy for the body. They are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and can be divided into three main groups. The first is monosaccharides. Because “mono” means single, and “sacchar” means sugar, monosaccharides are the basic sugar molecules- glucose and fructose. Because monosaccharides are so basic, they make up all the other forms of carbohydrates, so they are what’s called a monomer. A monomer acts as “building block” for all molecules. The second form of a carbohydrate is a