Question

Protein molecules are the building blocks of the body. They are made up of long chains of amino acids. Draw the general structure of an amino acid.

Answer 1

Answer:

Please find the diagram of the general structure of amino acids attached.

Explanation:

Proteins are one of the four major biomolecules in living systems. As rightly stated in this question, they are building blocks of the body. However, proteins are biological polymers made up of monomeric units called AMINO ACIDS. A long chain of these amino acids make up a protein molecule.

An amino acid generally consists of a central carbon atom called ALPHA CARBON, attached to an amine group (-NH2), a carboxylic acid group (-COOH), and a side chain (R side chain). All 20 amino acids that exists in nature have this general structure but differs only in the type of SIDE CHAIN (R group) they possess i.e. all amino acids have a different R side chain.

Please find the diagrammatic representation of the general structure of amino acids as an attachment.