Tag: Nucleic acids

Did you know that hormones are just one of many types of organic substances responsible for orchestrating complex physiological processes? These vital organic substances are required for regulating body functions, from metabolism to reproduction, ensuring the stability of your internal environment.

An estimated 80-90% of a cell's dry weight is composed of essential organic substances, including macromolecules like proteins and carbohydrates. These are the building blocks of life, and understanding the essential organic substances needed by the body is key to maintaining proper cellular function and overall health.

Proteins, along with carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids, are one of the four major classes of biological macromolecules. In simple terms, what is not a type of protein includes the other three main classes, which have fundamentally different building blocks and roles in the body.

Did you know that while all proteins contain nitrogen, they do not contain nitrogenous bases? This is a core concept in biology that often causes confusion, but understanding the difference is fundamental to grasping the unique composition and function of life's essential macromolecules.

While the human body primarily fuels itself by breaking down carbohydrates, lipids, and even proteins for energy, a critical biological component is intentionally left untouched. For many, the surprising answer to 'what is never broken down as an energy source' lies in the very molecules that carry our genetic blueprint: nucleic acids. This biological reality is contrasted with the fundamental physical law of conservation of energy.

Proteins stand apart from carbohydrates and lipids due to one key elemental difference: they always contain nitrogen. This fundamental distinction in composition is the basis for their unique structure, which in turn enables them to perform a vast array of specialized functions within the body.

Purine nucleotides, the fundamental building blocks of DNA and RNA, cannot be synthesized by the human body without adequate support from specific micronutrients. It is vitamin B9, commonly known as folate or folic acid, that is directly associated with purine synthesis. This critical nutrient plays a central role in one-carbon metabolism, providing the necessary chemical groups for the construction of the purine ring.

Over 96% of the human body's mass is composed of just four elements, which combine to form the essential building blocks known as biomolecules. This comprehensive guide explains exactly what are biomolecules in food and how they fuel our bodies for optimal health and function.

Did you know that the trillions of cells in your body are primarily made up of macromolecules, large complex molecules essential for life? This article explains what are macromolecules and what happens to them during digestion, a process that breaks them down into absorbable subunits.

Overwhelmingly, the primary macromolecule that is not obtained from food is nucleic acids. While we consume carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins through our diet for energy and building blocks, our bodies produce their own nucleic acids for genetic material and cellular processes.