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Introducing proteins
Proteins are a diverse group of large and complex polymer
molecules, made up of long chains of amino acids.
They have a wide range of biological roles, including:
structural: proteins are the
main component of body
tissues, such as muscle,
skin, ligaments and hair
catalytic: all enzymes are
proteins, catalyzing many
biochemical reactions
signalling: many hormones and receptors are proteins
immunological: all antibodies are proteins.
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The general structure of amino acids
All amino acids have the same general structure: the only
difference between each one is the nature of the R group.
The R group therefore defines an amino acid.
amino carboxylic
group acid group
R group
The R group represents a side chain from the central `alpha'
carbon atom, and can be anything from a simple hydrogen
atom to a more complex ring structure.
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The 20 naturally-occurring amino acids
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Peptide bonds and dipeptides
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