IMPORTANT POLYMERS

POLYMER

COMMON EXAMPLES

FUNCTION

MONOMER: Name

NO. OF DIFF. KINDS OF MONOMERS

BOND BETWEEN MONOMERS

Protein

Hemoglobin

O2 carrier

amino acids

20

peptide

  

RNase

enzyme

amino acids

20

peptide

  

wool, collagen

structural

amino acids

20

peptide

           

Nucleic acid

DNA

information storage

deoxyribo-nucleotides

4

phospho-diester

   

RNA

information transfer

ribonucleotides

4

phospho-diester

           

Polysaccharide

glycogen

energy storage

glucose

1

glycosidic

   

cellulose

structural

glucose

1

glycosidic

 

blood group substances

recognition

several different sugars

~6

glycosidic

           

Lipid

triglyceride

energy storage

fatty acids and glycerol

several different fatty acids

ester

  

lecithin

membrane structure

fatty acids + glycerol + phosphate + choline

several different fatty acids

ester and phosphodiester

Cells      
Macromolecules
(No. of monomer types):

Small molecules:

polysaccharides (~6)

 

monomers (~40 different molecules)

proteins (20)

 

intermediates (~400)

lipids (~8)

 

vitamins (~20)

nucleic acids(5)