Amino Acids
Definition
Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins. They are the building blocks of life and are vital for a number of functions in the body.
Analogy
Think of amino acids like Lego blocks. Just as you can use different combinations of Lego blocks to build various structures, your body uses different combinations of amino acids to build different proteins.
Related terms
Proteins: Large molecules made up of chains of amino acids, which perform a vast array of functions within organisms including catalyzing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, responding to stimuli, providing structure to cells and organisms, and transporting molecules from one location to another.
Peptide Bond: The chemical bond formed between two molecules when the carboxyl group of one molecule reacts with the amino group of the other molecule, releasing a molecule of water (H2O). This is a dehydration synthesis reaction.
Polypeptides: A chain or sequence of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. Polypeptides fold into specific three-dimensional structures - their so-called native state - which determine their activity or function in an organism.
"Amino Acids" appears in:
Study guides (8)
AP Biology - 1.2 Elements of Life
AP Biology - 1.4 Properties of Biological Macromolecules
AP Biology - 1.5 Structure and Function of Biological Macromolecules
AP Biology - 2.4 Plasma Membranes
AP Biology - 3.1 Enzyme Structure
AP Biology - 3.3 Environmental Impacts on Enzyme Function
AP Biology - 7.6 Evidence of Evolution
AP Biology - 7.13 Origin of Life on Earth
Practice Questions (2)
- Which of the following biomolecules is composed of amino acids?
- Which type of biological macromolecule is composed of long chains of amino acids and forms the basis of many structural components in living organisms?
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