Introduction

Biomolecules

In this course Prof. Sabine Flitsch (University of Manchester) introduces biomolecules. What do we mean when we say ‘biomolecule’, and what kinds of biomolecules exist? Modern research spans biomolecules of all sorts, and we introduce: (i) the classes of biomolecules that make up an organism in order of hierarchy; the genome, the transcriptome, the proteome, and the metabolome; (ii) the nucleic acids, DNA and RNA, their structure and function and uses in medicine and biotechnology; (iii) the structure and function of proteins and their building blocks, amino acids; and (iv) sugars, looking some of at their monomeric structures, as well as learning about their polymers.

Introduction

In this mini-lecture we look in closer detail the hierarchical structure of biological molecules that make up an organism; that is the genome, where genetic information is stored; the transcriptome, made of RNA, connecting the genome to the proteome; which is considered the workhorse of the body, carrying out many different functions in structure and in biocatalysis; and finally the metabolome, where sugars such as glucose and lactose are found.