It looks like you are listing the monomeric units of the four major classes of biological macromolecules. Here's a brief overview of each:
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Nucleotides:
- Function: The building blocks of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA).
- Structure: Each nucleotide consists of three components: a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar (ribose in RNA and deoxyribose in DNA), and a nitrogenous base (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine in DNA, and uracil in RNA).
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Monosaccharides:
- Function: The simplest form of carbohydrates; they serve as quick sources of energy and are used in the formation of more complex carbohydrates.
- Examples: Glucose, fructose, galactose. Monosaccharides can combine to form disaccharides (like sucrose) and polysaccharides (like starch and glycogen).
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Fatty Acids/Glycerol:
- Function: The building blocks of lipids, including triglycerides and phospholipids, which are essential for energy storage and cell membrane structure.
- Structure: Fatty acids consist of long hydrocarbon chains with a carboxyl group at one end. Glycerol is a three-carbon molecule that can bind three fatty acids to form triglycerides.
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Amino Acids:
- Function: The building blocks of proteins. They play critical roles in cell structure and function.
- Structure: Each amino acid consists of a central carbon atom, an amino group (–NH2), a carboxyl group (–COOH), a hydrogen atom, and a variable side chain (R group) that determines the characteristics of the amino acid.
Together, these monomers combine through various types of covalent bonds to form complex macromolecules essential for life processes.