Macromolecules: Building Blocks of Life
Ever wonder what you're actually made of at the molecular level? Your body is built from four main types of macromolecules, each with unique building blocks. Carbohydrates are built from monosaccharides (simple sugars), while proteins are chains of amino acids.
Lipids are constructed from fatty acids and glycerol, giving us fats and oils. Nucleic acids like DNA are made from nucleotides, which contain sugar, phosphate, and nitrogen-containing bases.
Each macromolecule contains different elements: carbohydrates are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (CHO), while proteins add nitrogen and sometimes sulfur (CHON or CHONS). Lipids contain mostly carbon and hydrogen with some oxygen, and nucleic acids include phosphorus (CHONP).
Remember This: The acronym "CHONPS" can help you remember the six most common elements in biological molecules: Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur!