Biomolecule facts for kids

A picture of myoglobin, a type of protein. Its structure was first figured out in 1958 by Max Perutz and Sir John Cowdery Kendrew. They won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this important discovery.

A biomolecule is a special molecule found in all organisms. These molecules are super important for life. They help with many biological processes, like how cells divide or how living things grow and develop.

Biomolecules come in different sizes. Some are large macromolecules, like proteins, carbohydrates, lipids (fats), and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA). Others are smaller molecules. Your body makes many of these biomolecules itself. But you also need to get some from outside, like certain nutrients from food, to stay healthy.

The study of biomolecules and how they react is part of biology, especially biochemistry and molecular biology. Most biomolecules are organic compounds. This means they are built around carbon atoms. The main elements found in biomolecules are oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. These four make up most of your body! Other elements, like certain metals, are also present in small amounts.

Proteins: The Body's Building Blocks

Proteins are large, complex molecules. Think of them like long chains made from smaller units called amino acids. These amino acids are linked together by special connections called peptide bonds.

Proteins are vital for every cell in your body. They are involved in almost every process that happens inside cells. They have many different jobs, and their specific job depends on their unique shape.

You can find proteins in foods like meat and in your own muscles. They are essential for growth and for repairing your body. Proteins also help make your bones strong and build new tissues and cells. They are found in animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, and, of course, in the human body.

Carbohydrates: Your Energy Source

Carbohydrates are chemical compounds that contain only oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon. They are made up of joined-together sugar units. Sugars are also known as saccharides.

Some carbohydrates are very important for storing and moving energy in most organisms, including plants and animals.

Carbohydrates are the most common way your body gets energy. While proteins build tissues, carbohydrates give you the fuel to run, play, and think! If you eat more carbohydrates than your body needs, the extra can be turned into fat.

Your body can also make carbohydrates from fats and proteins if needed. This process is called gluconeogenesis. Also, your liver stores some sugar (glucose) that it can release when you need quick energy. Some groups of people, like the Inuit, eat very few carbohydrates but still stay healthy because their bodies adapt.

Lipids: Fats and Oils for Life

A lipid is a type of organic molecule found in living things. Lipids are usually oily or waxy. Fats are made from lipid molecules. You can find lipids in foods like algae, seeds, meat, cheese, butter, and fish.

Lipids are long chains of carbon and hydrogen molecules. They can be simple or complex. Examples of complex lipids include steroids and phospholipids.

One very important job of lipids is forming lipid bilayers. These layers are the main part of all cell membranes, which surround and protect cells. Another key function of lipids is to store energy. Lipids can be hydrophobic, meaning they don't mix with water, or amphipathic, meaning they have parts that like water and parts that don't.

Nucleic Acids: Storing Your Genetic Code

Nucleic acids are large molecules that store genetic information. There are two main types of nucleic acids: deoxyribonucleic acid, which you probably know as DNA, and ribonucleic acid, known as RNA.

Nucleic acids are built from smaller units called nucleotides. Each nucleotide has three parts: a nitrogenous base, a sugar with five carbon atoms, and a phosphate group.

Nucleic acids allow living things to pass on genetic information from one generation to the next. When a cell divides, its DNA is copied exactly. This copy is then passed from the parent cell to the new cells. This is how traits are inherited!

Images for kids

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  This is a 3D image of a special RNA molecule called a group I intron ribozyme. The gray lines show how parts of the molecule pair up. The blue to red ribbons show double-helix areas, going from the beginning (5') to the end (3'). The white ribbon is an RNA product.

See also

In Spanish: Biomolécula para niños