Which class of biomolecules can play a structural role or serve as an immediate source of energy in a cell?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Starting with the broad idea: biomolecules can serve structural roles or act as an immediate energy source, and we assess each class accordingly.
Option 1: Carbohydrates. This option is correct because many carbohydrates function structurally (e.g., cellulose in plant cell walls, chitin in exoskeletons) and others, like glucose polysaccharides, provide readily accessible energy for cells, satisfying both structural and energetic roles.
Option 2: Lipids. Lipids are excellent energy stores and form cellular membranes, which are structural, but as a class they are more renowned for energy storage and membrane structure rather than serving as an immediate energy source in the same direct sense that simple carbohydrates do. They contribute to structure but aren’t typically the first source of immediate energy when rapid glucose-like metabolism is needed.
Option 3: Nucleic acids. Nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) are primarily informational and functional molecules related to genetic storage and transfer, regulation, and catalysis in some RNA enzymes. They do not serve as structural components of the cell in the same immediate sense, nor do they act as a readily accessible energy source for metabolism.
Option 4: Proteins. Proteins perform a vast array of functions, including enzymes and structural components, but when considering immediate energy supply, proteins are not the go-to energy source unless in extreme conditions; their primary roles are catalytic and structural rather than primarily energy provision.
In sum, carbohydrates uniquely satisfy both structural roles in certain contexts and provide immediate, readily metabolizable energy, whereas the other classes either emphasize other primary roles or do so less directly as an energy source.

Which class of biomolecules can play a structural role or serve as an immediate source of energy in a cell?

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