Final answer:
The class of biological polymer with the greatest information-coding capacity is nucleic acids, as they can store and transmit genetic information through various nucleotide sequences, unlike polysaccharides or proteins which have fewer monomer varieties.
Step-by-step explanation:
Professor Jamey Marth at the University of California, Santa Barbara, identified 70 molecules that are used to build cellular macromolecules and structures. These include at least 34 saccharides, 8 nucleosides, and 20 amino acids. In theory, the class of biological polymer with the greatest information-coding capacity would be the nucleic acids. Nucleic acids, such as RNA and DNA, are vital for storing and transmitting genetic information. Unlike polysaccharides, which mainly provide energy and structural support, nucleic acids have the ability to store a vast amount of information due to the variety of nucleotide sequences that can be formed.
Coding capacity in polymers is determined by the number and sequence of monomers they contain. Nucleic acids use four different nucleotides to code for genetically diverse information, which allows for a higher permutation and combination capacity compared to the 20 different amino acids used in proteins. Considering that nucleic acids have molecular weights up to several billions and are assembled from nucleosides, they have a higher potential for information encoding, making them the most important macromolecules for the continuity of life.