JoVE Lab Manual
Lab Bio
Lab Bio
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Macromolecules
Macromolecules
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lab, students should know...
What does the term "Macromolecules" mean?
The term “macromolecules” means “large molecules”.
What are the four kinds of biological macromolecules?
The four kinds of biological macromolecules are: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.
What are the functions of carbohydrates?
Some carbohydrates can be used for short- or longer-term energy storage, while others are used to provide structure to cells.
What are proteins?
Proteins are composed of chains of amino acids. They function as enzymes, hormones, transport molecules, structural components and play vital roles in muscle contractibility, immunity, and blood clotting.
What is the most common type of lipid?
Triglycerides are the most common type of lipids, which include fats and oils. Triglycerides generally serve as long-term energy storage molecules.
List of Materials
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Test Tubes84
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Disposable Pipets40
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Test tube racks5
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Beakers5
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10 % Dextrose/Glucose, granular (5 mL/group)25 mL
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10 % Corn Starch soln (5 mL/group)25 mL
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10 % Gelatin soln (5 mL/group)25 mL
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Vegetable Oil (5 mL/group)25 mL
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Benedict's Solution (3 mL/group)15 mL
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Iodine-Potassium-Iodide Solution (2 mL/group)10 mL
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Sudan IV (0.5-1 mL/group)5 mL
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Biuret Reagent (2 mL/group)10 mL
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Parafilm sheetDependent on the lab size
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Hot plateDependent on the lab size
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Stirring barDependent on the lab size
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Weighing scaleDependent on the lab size
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Magnetic stirrerDependent on the lab size
Lab Prep
- Solution Preparation
- CAUTION: It is important to always use care when handling reagents. For example, iodine will stain clothes and skin so wear gloves, goggles, and a lab coat when using this reagent.
- To prepare a 1 M glucose solution, begin by using a stir bar to dissolve 180.2 g of glucose in 500 mL of distilled water, increasing the volume to 1 L once the solute has dissolved in the smaller volume of solvent.
- To prepare a 10% cornstarch solution, first use a hotplate to boil 1 L of distilled water.
- Then make a paste with 8 g of cornstarch and 10 mL of cold water.
- Now, dissolve the cornstarch paste into the boiling water.
- To prepare a 10% gelatin solution, combine 1 g of gelatin powder with 1 L of distilled water.
- Then, use the hotplate to boil the solution until the gelatin has fully dissolved, taking care not to burn it.
- Beaker Labeling
- Label four beakers with the appropriate source material name and a corresponding image of the material.
- To Beaker A add an “A: Entire Corn Plant” label and image and fill the beaker with 250 mL of the glucose solution.
- To Beaker B add a “B: Corn Kernel” label and image and fill the beaker with 250 mL of the cornstarch solution.
- To Beaker C add a “C: Bone” label and image and fill the beaker with 250 mL of the gelatin solution.
- To Beaker D add a “D: Soybean” label and image and fill the beaker with 250 mL of vegetable oil.
- Then, cover the beakers with laboratory film until the activity begins.
