Proteins Biomolecules, but it’s a Friend Group
When someone says the word “biomolecule” to you, you might be quick to imagine some fancy science terms or some super-obscure diagram. You might think of some diverse field of study with lots of intricacies and complex concepts that you’ll never be able to understand. And it is true— there is a lot of stuff to it. But you’ll realize pretty quickly that it’s a lot more understandable than you think; in fact, biomolecules are actually a very relatable concept that you can connect to. In fact, it’s a lot like a friend group.
In this article, we’ll break down the four basic major types of macromolecules that exist in every living thing. (including YOU) It’ll become obvious that it doesn’t have to be as complex as all the crazy diagrams in the classroom make it out to be. Imagine for a moment that all of the biomolecules are in a friend group, and each biomolecule represents a unique personality that connects to what they do in the actual world of Biology. I know it’s a nagging question you’ve asked yourself many times in the past: “What kind of biomolecule would I be?” I certainly have, so let’s give ourselves the chance to answer that. There are four types of Macromolecules: Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids. Maybe you’ll find one that best relates to you, and you can tell your friends. Think of this as a slightly better version of the 16 Personalities Test.
And with that, let’s start talking about some personalities.
Carbohydrates
The first of the major types of macromolecules are carbohydrates; you may know them as carbs. They’re used in a variety of parts of your body, from powering your cells, to storing energy like a battery. You may be wondering, “What exactly does this macromolecule do in relation to a friend group?” and “What does a Carbohydrate Person look like?”. Most importantly, you’re probably asking, “Am I a Carbohydrate?” Well, the answer is simple.
You can probably think of a carbohydrate person immediately. The most important thing about them is that they are energetic. You know how when everyone’s bored and quiet in class there will usually be that one guy who always keeps his spirits up and continues to act as if it’s his birthday? That’s carbohydrates. (A prime example is my younger sibling, Casey. Read literally any of my travel articles to figure that out.)
Not only are they energetic, but they also spread that energy to everyone else. Imagine that one friend that always seems to have an endless trove of snacks to give out to the rest of the friend group. That’s carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide energy to support other cellular processes, just as how a friend might give you some snacks to help you get through the rigorous school day! When you need to ask your friend for a snack, which I know you do (don’t run. I can sense the guilt in your eyes.) you can automatically turn to Carbohydrates first.
Carbohydrate people are also extremely impulsive. They make decisions sometimes without thinking; when they get emotional, they use their energy fast, and you can very clearly see it. While carbohydrates do provide energy for people, they don’t provide long-term energy. They provide quick energy that you can use more immediately; your body will use carbohydrates first before going to anything else.
And do any of you wear rings, whether it’s for earrings, on your finger, or on your wrists? If so, you’re probably Carbohydrate, because that’s a very carbohydrate thing to do. You may have noticed that the name Carbohydrate is very similar to another familiar word: Carbon. And that’s not an accident; Carbohydrates are made up of many carbons bonded repeatedly to each other to form ring-like structures, called monosaccharides. There’s many different types, and even people like you might have heard of some of them. One famous example is glucose, which follows the chemical formula C6H12O6. Now add a couple hundred thousand glucose rings or so and add them together, and you’ll get some very complex carbohydrate shapes, such as starch.
To summarize, Carbohydrates are the overly excited and impulsive ones in the friend group. They bring a short-lived burst of energy and spirit to the group, being the ones that excite others and take them to lavish parties, only to impulsively spend their money and use it all. In the realm of biology, carbohydrates act similarly, as they are used for short-term energy storage and store energy for the future.
Lipids
Well, I apologize in advance to the eighty percent of you that are all about lipids, but lipids are probably the most difficult to put into characteristics. They probably are seen as outcasts by other macromolecules because of one thing they lack: a standardized monomer. While most macromolecules are made of a single unit that repeats over and over again to form larger structures, lipids in particular don’t have any singular structure; they just do their own things. As a result, their different personalities may stand out from that of their peers.
So what is their personality…? Well, obviously, many things can characterize lipids, but one thing’s for sure, is that they are all about hoarding. Whether it’s money, food, or games, they will hoard many things, under the excuse of “I’ll use this later”. You can think of them as the kid who collects figures, and has a whole wall of them in their room. Or the kid who saves money in middle school for no reason other than dreams of buying a house one day (even if the kid only gets like a few dollars for their birthday). In relation to biology, lipids will save energy over long periods of time to be used later, similar to hoarders.
Lipids are not only hoarders. They are also the type to keep their friend groups organized and stable. They make sure that people they don’t know very well don’t make it into their inner circle, at least until they become better friends with such people. They often help in argument situations, being able to defuse conflicts by setting clear boundaries between two people. As for their biological use, a special kind of lipid is a phospholipid, which functions as a way to divide and compartmentalize the cell. This helps them isolate and keep things organized, functioning as a barrier within the cell.
As for their special quirks, lipids are hydrophobic. To visualize this, imagine someone who absolutely despises water, and refuses to touch or go anywhere near it. (Like an enderman from Minecraft) That’s a lipid. They repel water due to their nonpolar (non-charged) nature, similar to how a person might avoid water.
Overall, lipids are quite the unique macromolecule. Their vast personalities can span any type of person, from even an introvert to an extrovert. There are only a few similarities between them all, which are their hydrophobic, hoarding, and boundary-setting natures.
Proteins
Proteins are probably the most famous of the Macromolecules, and their people are probably the most inspiration to you as well. You know that one guy in your class who juggles fifteen extracurriculars, is smart in just about every subject, and somehow knows a lot in every subject. All across his life, he’s accumulated hundreds of different little skills and accomplishments that combine together to make him the absolute powerhouse of a person that he is today. These skills can be classified into twenty different categories, which make up amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.
Proteins all have very similar structures if you look at just a couple amino acids: they’ve all got a central carbon atom, a few function groups, peptide bonds, and a variable group called the R-Group which makes amino acids distinguished from one another. However, if you look out to the overall structure of the protein, you’ll find that they can help you in so many different ways.
People with the protein personality each have their own particular specialties. If you’re a protein person, stick around to find what kind of protein you are, because there are quite a few classifications.
Firstly, there’s the enzyme protein. Enzymes, People are the kind that carry you through hours of nightly homework. When you’re stuck on a really hard math problem or are not sure what else to add to your 7-page English Essay, Enzymes are the guys that have you covered. In a biological context, enzymes catalyze reactions to help them go faster; they help you learn quicker and with less energy wasted, similar to how people will carry you through that essay you have due tonight. There’s also transport proteins, which help you move around town when you’ve got a lot of things you need to do. What this means in biology is that they help move things around the cell. They can also act as messengers, going around to signal what’s going on around town before you can even realize it.
The main weakness of proteins is that they’re really picky when they can work. Most proteins are usually tailored to work only in the most specific of conditions; they work most efficiently in very specific environments; some only work at a specific pH, a specific temperature, or in specific parts of the cell. In a person, that might mean that they aren’t able to work when it’s too hot or too cold, and they certainly won’t be able to work if there’s a lot of noisy people in a room (So just like me).
So in summary, proteins are the smartest and most accomplished of the bunch; they’re all about taking action and getting things done, regardless of what happens around them.
So, are you a protein? If so, what kind of protein are you?
BTW, if you are a transport protein, could you please give me a ride to my friend’s birthday party tomorrow? Both of my parents are busy and I can’t miss it.
Nucleic Acids
Are there only three macromolecules? Nope, there’s a fourth one as well, one that you may be familiar with. It’s… the Nucleic Acid!
Okay, you probably don’t recognize that word. Some of these may be referred to as deoxyribonucleic acid. No? Still don’t get it? Okay, DNA. Happy? Does that make sense now? Good.
So what are Nucleic Acids/DNA people like? Just imagine that one guy in your friend group who knows everything about the school drama. The guy who can tell you, everybody, that this guy has dated, that this guy has fought with, and can recall every single instance when a carbohydrate person has tried to steal snacks from you. Photographic memory, basically.
Aaaaand what does that look like in Biology? Well, you remember how we said earlier that proteins do pretty much everything in the cell? Well, what’s happening now is that DNA is actually the blueprint for creating proteins inside your body. (I don’t know how to make that into a metaphor, so take that as you will.) The idea of proteins being created from DNA is called the Central Dogma of Biology, which, as I learned the hard way, had nothing to do with dogs.
But don’t be confused; DNA is only one kind of nucleic acid. There’s another type called RNA. So what’s the difference between DNA and RNA? The main thing to know is that both DNA and RNA are pretty famous for being different in how many strands they have. The DNA structure is typically made of a double helix (Spiral ladder-looking thing) and the RNA is very similar, only it has a single strand. This isn’t their only difference, however. Both of them have widely different functions as well, and there is a super complex process on how DNA turns to proteins (called transcription and translation), however, we’ll go more in depth later on when we get to genetics..
Conclusion
So what kind of biomolecule are you? Maybe you were a protein, or an excited carbohydrate. Or maybe you were none of them at all? If so, maybe you’d fit into a type of organelle—oh we’re getting ahead of ourselves!
Make sure to stay tuned for part 2 of our AP Biology Metaphors, which will cover all of the basic cellular organelles and their functions within the cell.
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