An Outline of Some Essential Pointers in Biomolecules for NEET
From plants to animals, every living organism is made up of tiny building blocks called cells. They are the smallest fundamental units making up our bodies and consist of several inorganic and organic compounds. Among these, all carbon-containing compounds which are found in living matter are known as biomolecules.
Biomolecules are a very crucial part of the syllabus for NEET Biology. These extensive biomolecules notes will help you gain an edge over your competitors.
Biomolecules – An Introduction
Organic compounds that make up the very backbone of a cell in living organisms are known as biomolecules. These could include a variety of compounds in varying proportions such as carbohydrates, fats and proteins. All of these biomolecules have vital functions to perform, and they are manufactured within the body.
While organic compounds may consist of straight-chain carbons, others can be cyclic rings, branched chains or combinations of any of these types. They have varying features, chemical properties and structures; this, in turn, leads to the difference in physical properties like boiling and melting points, solubility in water. Depending on their affinity towards water, biomolecules can be categorised further into hydrophilic and hydrophobic.
In the following biomolecules notes for NEET, you shall learn about the types of biomolecules, such as proteins as well as their structures.
Biomolecules: Types
As you proceed with these biomolecules notes, make sure you have a clear understanding of organic compounds and their properties. Doing so will help you understand the following points with clarity.
Biomolecules are Categorised into Four Types, Chiefly:
1. Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are polysaccharides and are the final products of most of the metabolic processes in our body. They are the keystones of our metabolic machinery, and their molecular structure consists of numerous monosaccharides combined together. Most living cells are rich sources of carbohydrates, and it is safe to say that these biomolecules are the very genesis of life on our planet.
For instance, cellulose is a vital component of plant cells, and these are usually stored in the form of starch. Glucose, on the other hand, is the final metabolic product of photosynthesis, the process by which plants make food using sunlight. Saccharides are mainly of three types: monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides. They are grouped based on the number of sugar molecules each of them contains.
Some typical sugars that we come across on a daily basis include sucrose, cellulose, fructose, glucose and dextrose. Further, in these biomolecules class 12 notes, you’ll be introduced to the three basic types of carbohydrates containing sugar, namely, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides and disaccharides.
Monosaccharides: They are the simplest carbohydrates and cannot be hydrolysed any further. They are present in the general chemical formulae of (CH2O)n. Examples of monosaccharides include ribose and glucose.
Oligosaccharides: These are complex carbohydrates that yield two to ten subunits of monosaccharides. They are further divided into various categories. Examples include stachyose and raffinose.
Disaccharides: Carbohydrates that on hydrolysis yield two monosaccharide units, are known as disaccharides. For instance, sucrose yields fructose and glucose. On the other hand, maltose yields two molecules of glucose on hydrolysis.
2. Proteins: Organic compounds present in our diets in generous amounts and made of amino acids are called proteins. They consist of long-chain monomers bonded together with the help of polypeptide bonds. Therefore, proteins are also sometimes called polypeptides.
3. Lipids: These are a group of hydrophobic compounds that include fats, oils, steroids, phospholipids and glycerol. Depending on the types of constituents, lipids can vary in structure and properties. For instance, fatty acids are made up of a single carboxyl group bonded with a variable group or R. These fatty acids may be saturated or unsaturated.
Further, some lipids may comprise phosphorous groups bonded with the organic groups. They are also known as phospholipids. Phospholipids are the basic building block of the plasma membrane of cells.
4. Nucleic Acids: The smallest fundamental units of our genetic information, also called genes, consist of building blocks called DNA and RNA. These constitute the genetic material of our bodies and are a combination of nitrogenous bases, molecules of sugar and a phosphate group.
These may be heterocyclic such as purines and pyrimidines. Examples of purines are xanthine, caffeine and nitrogenous bases such as guanine and adenine. When nitrogenous bases form chemical binds with sugar molecules, the resulting product is called a nucleoside. These, in turn, combine with phosphate groups to result in nucleotides (RNA, DNA).
Secure a Spot in Top Medical Colleges with These Biomolecules Notes for NEET
Once you are done revising your basic biological concepts with the help of these biomolecules notes, make sure you test yourself with MCQs, short answer questions and sample test papers to prepare yourself for the big day. Chalk out a streamline schedule and study routine, to help manage time effectively. Make the most out of your preparatory months. With these biomolecules class 12 notes, you’ll be a step ahead in every exam and well-prepared to face the toughest questions in your NEET biology paper.
Conclusion
Studying these biomolecules class 11 notes for NEET well in advance will go a long way into ensuring you get the best rank. Students can get well-structured and accurate study notes on the Vedantu Website for free.
FAQs on Biomolecules NEET Notes 2025
1. What are the Most Important Chapters for NEET in Biology?
Some crucial chapters in biology you need to focus on include Evolution, Biomolecules, Human Health and Disease, Biotechnology, etc.
2. What are Some Important Topics for NEET 2025?
Chapters you need to pay extra attention to include Diversity of Living Organisms, Human Physiology, Plant Physiology, Biomolecules, etc.
3. How Important is Biomolecules for NEET?
Biomolecules form one of the most crucial components of the biology syllabus for NEET. Make sure you have a clear understanding of all the topics covered in these biomolecules notes.
4. What is meant by biomolecules?
A biomolecule, sometimes known as a biological molecule, is a term that refers to molecules found in living things that are required for one or more biological processes, such as cell division, morphogenesis, or development. Large macromolecules (or polyanions) like proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids, as well as tiny molecules like primary metabolites, secondary metabolites, and natural products, are all examples of biomolecules. Biological materials is a more broad term for this type of material. Biomolecules are essential components of living creatures. While endogenous biomolecules are created within the organism, organisms typically require external biomolecules, such as specific nutrients, to exist.
Biochemistry and molecular biology are subfields of biology that investigate biomolecules and their reactions. The majority of biomolecules are organic substances, and the human body is made up of only four elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. However, several additional elements, such as biometals, are present in trace levels.
5. Explain the structure of DNA and RNA?
The well-known double helix generated by Watson-Crick base-pairing of C with G and A with T dominates DNA structure. This is known as B-form DNA, and it is by far the most common and beneficial state of DNA; its highly precise and stable base-pairing provides the foundation of dependable genetic information storage. DNA can be found as single strands, A-form or Z-form helices, and more complicated 3D structures, such as the crossing at Holliday junctions during DNA replication, which require single-strand binding proteins to stabilize.
RNA, on the other hand, generates enormous and complex 3D tertiary structures that are similar to proteins, as well as loose single strands with regionally folded sections that make up messenger RNA molecules. Many sections of A-form double helix are joined into specific 3D patterns by single-stranded loops, bulges, and junctions in those RNA structures. tRNA, ribosomes, ribozymes, and riboswitches are examples. The fact that the RNA backbone has less local flexibility than DNA but a huge number of different conformations, presumably due to both positive and negative interactions of the additional OH on the ribose, facilitates these complex structures. Structured RNA molecules may attach to other molecules with high specificity and can be recognised specifically; they can also undertake enzymatic catalysis.
6. What are saccharides?
Monosaccharides are the most basic carbohydrates, containing only one simple sugar. In their structure, they essentially have an aldehyde or ketone group. The prefix aldo- indicates the presence of an aldehyde group in a monosaccharide. Similarly, the prefix keto- denotes a ketone group. Hexoses, glucose, fructose, trioses, tetroses, heptoses, galactose, pentoses, ribose, and deoxyribose are all monosaccharides. Fructose and glucose have varying rates of stomach emptying, are absorbed differently, and have different metabolic destinations, so there are various ways for two different saccharides to alter food intake differently. The majority of saccharides finally serve as cellular respiration fuel.
When two monosaccharides, or two single simple sugars, create a bond after water is removed, disaccharides are generated. By boiling with dilute acid or interacting with suitable enzymes, they can be hydrolyzed to give their saccharin building components. Sucrose, maltose, and lactose are examples of disaccharides.
Polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates that have been polymerized from monosaccharides. They contain a variety of simple sugars. Starch, cellulose, and glycogen are among examples. They are usually quite huge and feature a lot of branching connections. Polysaccharides are not water soluble due to their size, but when exposed to water, their numerous hydroxy groups become hydrated separately, and when heated in water, some polysaccharides create thick colloidal dispersions. Oligosaccharides are shorter polysaccharides having three to ten subunits.
7. What are amino acids?
Both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups can be found in amino acids. Proteins may contain modified amino acids, which are mainly the consequence of enzyme modification following translation (protein synthesis). The phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of serine by kinases and phosphatases, for example, is a key regulatory mechanism in the cell cycle. In some organisms, just two amino acids other than the conventional twenty are known to be incorporated into proteins during translation:
At a UGA codon, which is generally a stop codon, selenocysteine is incorporated into some proteins. At a UAG codon, pyrrolysine is integrated into certain proteins. For example, some methanogens have enzymes that help them create methane.
8. Define the structure of protein?
The main structure of a protein refers to the sequence of amino acids that make it up. The genetic makeup of the individual determines this sequence. It determines the order of side-chain groups along the "backbone" of a linear polypeptide.
The alpha helix and beta sheet are two forms of well-classified, often occurring pieces of local structure defined by a specific sequence of hydrogen bonds along the backbone of proteins. The protein's secondary structure refers to their number and order. The backbone CO group (carbonyl) of one amino acid residue and the backbone NH group (amide) of the i+4 residue from regular spirals that are maintained by hydrogen bonding. The spiral has around 3.6 amino acids per turn, and the side chains of the amino acids protrude from the helix's cylinder. Visit the Vedantu app and website for free study materials.
