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The nature of proteins.
Member rating: No Rating | Words: | Submitted: Tue Jan 25 2005
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The nature of proteins Proteins consist of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and also nitrogen. Proteins are macromolecules. They are constructed from one or more unbranched chains of amino acids; that is, they are polymers (Compound whose molecule consists of many repeated units linked together). A typical protein contains 200-300 amino acids but some are much smaller (the smallest are often called peptides) and some much larger. Amino Acids Amino acids are the building blocks (monomers) of proteins. 20 different amino acids are used to synthesize proteins. The shape and other properties of each protein is dictated by the precise sequence of amino acids in it. Each amino acid consists of an alpha carbon atom to which is attached a hydrogen atom an amino group (hence "amino" acid) A carboxyl group (-COOH). This gives up a proton and is thus an acid (hence amino "acid") One of 20 different "R" groups. It is the structure...
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