4 Classes of Life’s Organic Molecules

Nucleic Acids are DNA and RNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic
acid, respectively. They make the proteins that are present in almost every
structure and perform almost every function in your body. DNA has a twisted
ladder-like form, while RNA has many different shapes, depending on its
function. DNA typically remains within the center, or nucleus, of a cell; RNA
can travel throughout the cell to where it is needed. The backbones of both
substances consist of alternating molecules of phosphate and sugar. Nucleotide
bases make up the "rungs" attached to the backbone. Of the two types of
nucleic acids, DNA is more stable, making it less likely to be broken down than
RNA. Your genes are made up of DNA, and each gene provides the code for
making a specific protein. RNA helps DNA to make these proteins.

Proteins are probably the most versatile of all the organic molecules, making up many
structures and executing various functions within organisms. Building blocks called amino
acids make up proteins. About 20 different amino acids combine to form all of the various
types of proteins on Earth. These amino acids all have almost the exact same composition;
the only difference is the R group, which differs in each of the amino acids and gives them
their uniqueness. When a protein is made, the protein comes together one amino acid at a
time within the ribosome -- a structure that houses protein synthesis. Proteins have four
levels of structure: The primary structure is the bonding of amino acids to one another; the
secondary structure refers to the folds in certain areas within the protein; the tertiary
structure is the ultimate three-dimensional look of the protein; and the quaternary structure
consists of smaller protein subunits chemically bonded together to form a larger protein.

Carbohydrates comprise the largest number of organic molecules in organisms. Basically,

carbohydrates are sugars; their origin can be traced to photosynthesis, the process by
which organisms such as plants use sunlight to transform carbon dioxide and water into
food. The simplest sugar is glucose, a molecule used to provide fuel for many types of
organisms, including humans. The sugars found in foods include: fructose in fruits,
galactose in milk, maltose in vegetables and sucrose in table sugar. The starch found in
whole grains and vegetables is a complex carbohydrate made of chains of simpler glucose
molecules. Your body contains an enzyme called amylase, which breaks down
carbohydrates in the food you eat into glucose, which your cells can use as energy.

Lipids, perhaps better known as fats, come in different forms in your body and contain the
most energy of all the organic compounds. When your body burns lipids for fuel, you get
more energy than if you burned the other organic molecules. In your body, fats perform
many functions, taking the form of phospholipids and cholesterol, both important
components of cell membranes; waxes that provide plants and animals with a protective
layer; hormones that signal different functions in your body; vitamins that aid in different
cell functions; and steroids, which are important in a number of physiological processes.
Fats from animals tend to be more viscous than fats from plants.