Four Groups of Macromolecules

Macromolecules are just that - large molecules. The four groups of macromolecules, shown in the table below, are essential to the structure and function of a cell.

Group	Building Block	Large Molecule	Function	To Identify, Look for . . .
Carbohydrate	Monosaccharide	Polysaccharide	Energy storage, receptors, structure of plant cell wall	Made of C,H, and O; –OH's on all carbons except one
Protein	Amino acid	Polypeptide or protein	Enzymes, structure, receptors, transport, and more	Contain N, have N-C-C backbone
Nucleic acid	Nucleotide	Polynucleotide or nucleic acid	Information storage and transfer	Contain N in rings, nucleotides made of sugar, phosphate and nitrogenous base
Lipid *	Glycerol, fatty acids	Fats, oils, waxes, phosopholipids, steroids	Membrane structure, energy storage, insulation	Made of C,H, and O; lots of C-H bonds; may have some C=C bonds (unsaturated); steroids have 4 rings
*Lipids are not polymers.

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