TESTING FOR BIOLOGICAL
MOLECULES
Kelsey Smith
EDUV4901605
Laboratory report
SCPBA1 B22
Principals of Biology
Faculty of Science
Eduvos
4 June 2021
Abstract
The basic building blocks required for the development of every living entity are
biological molecules. The many classes of biological molecules are proteins, lipids,
carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. These molecules do a variety of jobs, such
producing the proteins in your nails and storing fat. Therefore, biological molecules
are necessary for any living creature to survive. A number of different reagents were
used as markers to determine whether specific biological components were present in
food samples. Proteins, sugar, and starch all responded favorably to solutions 1 and
2, respectively. For lipids, solutions 3 and 4 produced favorable results. In every test
that was run, at least one biological molecule was found. Therefore, a variety of
methods can be used to identify biological substances.
Introduction
Organic molecules are the basic building components of all living organisms. Most
organic molecules are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (Freeman 2010).
The different biological molecules are composed of different lengths of carbon
skeleton and functional groups attached (Eaton 2012). According to Strelkauskas et
al. (2016), these two shape-related factors dictate how the biological molecule
functions. Biological molecules are composed of four different types of molecules:
lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids (Allison 2011). Each of these
biological molecules is composed of monomers or polymers (Alberts et al. 2007).
The long chains that comprise proteins are composed of monomers of amino acids
(Freeman 2010). According to Tibbals (2010), a polypeptide, which is composed of
molecules connected by peptide bonds, is created when a protein has more than 50
amino acids. Concearenco and Berenzovsky (2015) state that proteins are necessary
for all living organisms and have a number of functions, including molecular
transportation. Carbohydrates are necessary for most metabolic functions, including
the vital generation of ATP needed for life (Insert citation here). Food. Carbohydrates
are the body's main energy source and are necessary for a cell's structural integrity,
claims Freeman (2010). Carbohydrates are either polysaccharides or
monosaccharides.
Eaton (2012) states that polysaccharides are sugar polymers like maltose, whereas
monosaccharides are simple sugars like glucose. Lipids are hydrophobic biological
molecules consisting of fatty acids, steroids, and phospholipids, according to Molnar
and Gair (2012). According to Allison (2011), lipids are necessary for the cell's ability
to store and function. Nucleic acids are the chemical molecules that provide the basis
of all of our genetic information (Eaton 2012). According to Freeman (2010),
phosphodiester bonding is what holds nucleotides, the building blocks of nucleic acids,
together. Scientists need to test various food samples for various biological
components. According to Pashley (2004), food samples may be evaluated to aid
scientists in their understanding of the constituents in food. These tests can give a
range of people information on their general health, illnesses, or diet, claims Eaton
(2012). Understanding the makeup and structure of dietary items makes figuring out
how it works in our body easier. In food samples, the experiment aims to identify
specific biological molecules by utilizing multiple chemical indications.
Methodology
Sugar test – Benedict’s Solution
One test tube held five milliliters of a liquidized mystery food solution. A control sample
containing five milliliters of distilled water was also present. There were precisely 10
drops of Benedict's solution to each of the two test tubes. These test tubes were
immersed in 70°C hot water for five minutes, during which time color changes were
observed.
Starch test – Lugol’s Iodine Solution
Five milliliters of a liquidized mystery food solution was placed into one test tube. There
was also a control sample with 5 ml of distilled water in it. In both test tubes, the exact
amount of Lugol's Iodine solution was added—three drops. At room temperature,
these test tubes were watched for any sudden color changes. Direct heating of the
blue-black test tubes on a Bunsen burner was used to remove the color. After allowing
these test tubes to reach room temperature, we looked for color changes.
Protein test- Biuret’s reagent
Five milliliters of a liquidized mystery food solution was placed into one test tube. There
was also a control sample with 5 milliliters of distilled water in it. Each of the two test
tubes received precisely three drops of the Biuret's solution. Each of these test tubes
were given a good shake to ensure thorough mixing. Changes in color were noted at
room temperature. One negative control had distilled water in it alone—no unidentified
solution was added. This served as a comparison for any color changes in the
alternative solution.
Lipids test- Sudan Red solution
Five milliliters of a liquidized mystery food solution was placed into one test tube. There
was also a control sample with 5 milliliters of distilled water in it. The Sudan reagent
solution was precisely 5 milliliters applied to each of the two test tubes. Each of these
test tubes was given a good shake to ensure thorough mixing. Changes in color were
noted at room temperature. One negative control had distilled water in it alone—no
unidentified solution was added. This served as a comparison for any color changes
in the alternative solution.
Lipids test-Ethanol
Two milliliters of a liquidized unidentified food solution were put into one test tube. Two
milliliters of distilled water were present in the control sample. Each of the two test
tubes received precisely three milliliters of the produced ethanol concentration
reagent. Each of these test tubes was given a good shake to ensure thorough mixing.
There was a white coating of suspension visible.
Unknown test
Three milliliters of a liquidized unknown food sample were put into five test tubes. Test
tube one received exactly ten drops of Benedict's solution added to it. For five minutes,
the test tube was submerged in hot water at 70°C, and any color changes were noted.
Test tube two received precisely three drops of Lugol's Iodine solution added to it. At
room temperature, the test tube was checked for any sudden color changes. The blue-
black test tube was directly heated on a Bunsen burner until the color turned
completely black. After allowing this test tube to reach room temperature, any color
changes were noted. In two test tubes, exactly three drops of Biuret's solution were
introduced. To fully combine, the test tube was shaken. Changes in color were noted
at room temperature.
Test tube four received an exact 5 milliliter addition of Sudan reagent solution. To fully
combine, the test tube was shaken. Changes in color were noted at room temperature.
Test tube five received precisely 3 milliliters of the produced ethanol concentration
reagent. Each test tube was shaken separately to ensure a complete mixing.
Table 1: Tests done on food samples
Test Colour Change Control
Test 1 Benedicts reagent Blue to Orange Positive
Test 2 Lugol’s Iodine Yellow to blue Positive
black
Test 3 Biuret reagent Blue to pink-purple Positive
Test 4 Sudan Red Red transparent to Positive
solution red stained lipid
molecules
Test 5 Ethanol Transparent to Positive
consentration milky white
reagent
Table 1 shows that all five different food types tested positive for a biological molecule.
Test 1 tested positive for sugar. Test 2 tested positive for starch. Test 3 tested positive
for protein. Test 4 tested positive for lipids. Test 5 tested positive for fats and oils.
Table 2:Tests done on unknown food sample
Test Colour Change Control
Test 1 Benedicts reagent Blue to grey Positive
Test 2 Lugol’s Iodine Yellow to Milky Negative
white
Test 3 Biuret reagent Transparent to Positive
pink-purple
Test 4 Sudan Red Red Transparent to Negative
solution Darker red
transparent
Test 5 Ethanol Stayed transparent Negative
consentration
reagent
Table 2 shows that only two out of five biological molecules are present in the unknown
food sample. The unknown food sample tested positive for sugar and proteins.
Discussion
Nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates are the different categories of
biological molecules. These biological compounds are all present in a variety of meals.
Test 1 is made up of sugar, Test 2 is made up of starch, Test 3 is made up of protein,
Test 4 is made up of lipids, and Test 5 is made up of fats and oils, as shown by the
results in Table 1. Consequently, five distinct chemical indicators are used to break
down these five biological molecules in diverse ways (Eaton.A, 2012).
Monomers of simple sugars make up glucose, a monosaccharide carbohydrate
(Strelkausekas, n.d.).Since glucose serves as both the primary fuel for cells and the
building block for other molecules, it is essential for all living things (Eaton.A, 2012).
Tibbals (H.F., 2014) states that glucose is required for cellular respiration, which
produces energy for all living things. Through the process of reduction, glucose can
transfer hydrogen to other molecules (Molnar, 2014). Thus, the purpose of gently
heating the test tubes is to guarantee that the Benedicts reagent and the glucose
underwent a reduction reaction (Freeman, S., 2013). Concearenco and Berenzovsky
(Concearenco, 2015) state that red copper (I), which resulted from the reduction of
copper (II) ions in the Benedicts solution, is the precipitate that developed following
the reaction. As a result, Table 1's results concur with those of Freeman (Freeman.S,
2013), who used Benedict's solution to conduct a comparable test for glucose.
Benedict's test can thus be used to determine that a test for glucose will only yield a
positive result if the solution contains glucose.
(Freeman.S, 2013) states that starch is a polysaccharide used for storage that is made
completely of glucose monomers. Amylose, which is made up of thousands of linked
glucose molecules, is the most basic type of starch (H.F., 2014).One monosaccharide
is glucose. Aldoses and ketoses are the two categories into which monosaccharides
can be divided (Alberts, 2015). Concearenco and Berezovsky (Concearenco, 2015)
state that the carbonyl group's position and the total amount of carbons in the carbon
skeleton determine the classification. Iodine and spiral-arranged glucose molecules
interact throughout the test (Molnar, 2014). Freeman S. (2013) reported that
individuals who tested positive for starch in eggs also had comparable findings. Lugol's
iodine solution was used as a chemical indicator for the presence of starch, leading to
this positive test result. Only if the polysaccharides in the starch solution are coiled
can a solution be tested, according to Alberts et al. (Alberts, 2015). The test would not
have worked if the starch molecule had not been coiled, similar to a sugar
monosaccharide (Allison, n.d.).
As seen by Table 1's results, test 3 includes protein. More than half of your cell's dry
mass is made up of proteins, which are made up of amino acids joined by peptide
bonds (Concearenco, 2015). Proteins are a type of biological molecule that help with
cellular communication as well as cell protection (Eaton.A, 2012). Thus, a protein can
be categorized as a physiologically functioning molecule made up of one or more
polypeptides, according to Reece et al. (Reece, n.d.). Different side chains, or R
groups, provide the amino acids their unique characteristics that set them apart from
one another (Freeman, S., 2013).Therefore, rather than determining if amino acids are
present in the solution, the biuret test is employed to determine whether a peptide
bond is present (Strelkausekas, n.d.). This finding is consistent with that of Pashley
(Pashley, 2014), who used nutritional milk to obtain the same good outcome for
protein. As a result, the cupric ions in the protein solution caused the solution's color
to shift from vivid blue to pale pink (Freeman.S, 2013).
It is evident from Table 1, test 4 that lipids are present in the solution. The Sudan Red
reagent was utilized; it is a red reagent that causes lipid molecules to become stained
red when it reacts with them. All of the lipid molecules were stained red as the color
transitioned from a dark clear red. It was evident that the solution tested positive as a
result. Test 5: Using a reagent for ethanol concentration, the solution was examined
for fats and oils. On top of the solution, a milky white suspension took the place of the
transparent [Link] emulsion that formed in test 5 makes it evident that fats and oils
were present.
The results in Table 2 showed that there is protein and sugar in the unidentified food
solution. Starch, lipids, fats, and oils were not detected in the unidentified solution's
tests.
Conclusion
There are numerous methods for identifying biological compounds. The biological
molecules and the chemical indicators react in a particular way, changing the color in
a precise way. Thus, the type of biological molecules can be ascertained using the test
results.
References
Alberts, B. e. a., 2015. Molecular Biology of the Cell. Garland Science, Issue 5.
Allison, L., n.d. Fundamental Molecular Biology. Issue 2.
Concearenco, A., 2015. Evolution of Biological Molecules and Networks. Physical
Biology, pp. 1478-3975.
Eaton.A, 2012. Lessons for Chemistry,Biology,Physics and Math Students. Science
Matters.
Freeman.S, 2013. Biological Science. Issue 4.
H.F, T., 2014. Medical Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine.
Molnar, C. G., 2014. Concepts of Biology. British Columbia Ministry of Advanced
Education.
Pashley, C., 2014. Biology Molecular Approach. Everyday Learning, Issue 8.
Reece, J. e. a., n.d. Cambell Biology. Pearson, Issue 10.
Strelkausekas, A. e. a., n.d. Microbiology: A clinical approach. Garland Science, Issue
2.
Apendix
Figure 1: Test 1 from Table 1 and Test 1 from Table 2
In Figure 1 it is clear that the colour changed from blue to orange (Table 1) and the
colour changed from blue to grey( Table 2). This shows that it tested positive for sugar.
Figure 2: Test 2 from Table 1 and test 2 from Table 2
In Figure 2 it is clear that the colour changed from yellow to blue-black(Table 1) and
the colour changed from yellow to milky white(Table 2) This shows that the first solution
tested possitve for starch, but the unknown solution tested negative.
Figure 3: Test 3 from Table 1 and Test 3 from Table 2
In Figure 3 it is clear that the colour changed from transparent to light pink(Table 1),
It is also clear that the colour changed from transparent to light purple (table 2). The
results show that both solutions tested positive for proteins.
Figure 4: Test 4 from Table 1 and Test 4 from Table 2
In Figure 4 it is clear that the lipid molecules were staned red (Table 1) and that the
colour changed from light red transparent to a darker red transparent (Table 2). The
results show that the unknown solution tested negative for lipids and the solution from
Table 1 tested positive.
Figure 5: Test 5 from Table 1 and Test 5 from Table 2
In Figure 5 it is clear that the colour changed from transparent to a milky white
emulsion (Table 1) and that the colour stayed thransparent (Table 2). The results show
that the solution in Table one tested positive for fats and oils, but the unknowns solution
tested negative.
