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Amino acid, any of a group of organic molecules that consist of a basic amino group, an acidic carboxyl group, and a unique organic side chain. The term amino acid is short for α-amino [alpha-amino] carboxylic acid. Examples of amino acids include glycine and threonine.
Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. [1] Although over 500 amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the 22 α-amino acids incorporated into proteins. [2] Only these 22 appear in the genetic code of life. [3] [4]
Definition. Amino acids are the building blocks of polypeptides and proteins and play important roles in metabolic pathway, gene expression, and cell signal transduction regulation. A single organic amino acid molecule contains two functional groups – amine and carboxyl – and a unique side chain.
Amino acids are organic compounds containing the basic amino groups (-NH2) and carboxyl groups (-COOH). The ingredients present in proteins are amino acids. Both peptides and proteins are long chains of amino acids.
All amino acids have the same basic structure, which is shown in Figure 2.1. At the “center” of each amino acid is a carbon called the α carbon and attached to it are four groups - a hydrogen, an α- carboxyl group, an α-amine group, and an R-group, sometimes referred to as a side chain.
An amino acid is an organic compound characterized by having a carboxyl group, amino group, and side-chain attached to a central carbon atom. Amino acids are used as precursors for other molecules in the body. Linking amino acids together forms polypeptides, which may become proteins.
… An amino acid is the fundamental molecule that serves as the building block for proteins. There are 20 different amino acids. A protein consists of one or more chains of amino acids (called polypeptides) whose sequence is encoded in a gene.
noun. : an amphoteric organic acid containing the amino group NH2. especially : any of the various amino acids having the amino group in the alpha position that are the chief components of proteins and are synthesized by living cells or are obtained as essential components of the diet. Examples of amino acid in a Sentence.
Amino acids are small molecules that are the building blocks of proteins. Proteins serve as structural support inside the cell and they perform many vital chemical reactions. Each...
FAQ. What are Amino Acids? Amino acids are fundamental organic compounds central to biochemistry, primarily known for their critical role as the building blocks of proteins. Structurally, each amino acid consists of a carboxylic acid group (-COOH) and an amino group (-NH2) attached to an alpha (α) carbon.