Amino acid | Definition, Structure, & Facts | Britannica
Nov 15, 2024 · An amino acid is an organic molecule that is made up of a basic amino group (−NH 2), an acidic carboxyl group (−COOH), and an organic R group (or side chain) that is …
Amino acid - Building Blocks, Structure, Functions | Britannica
Nov 15, 2024 · The chemical structures of Group I amino acids are: Isoleucine is an isomer of leucine, and it contains two chiral carbon atoms. Proline is unique among the standard amino …
Protein - Amino Acids, Structure, Function | Britannica
Nov 15, 2024 · Structures of common amino acids. The amino acids present in proteins differ from each other in the structure of their side (R) chains. The simplest amino acid is glycine, in …
Structure and properties of amino acids | Britannica
amino acid, Any of a class of organic compounds in which a carbon atom has bonds to an amino group (―NH2), a carboxyl group (―COOH), a hydrogen atom (―H), and an organic side …
Alanine | Amino Acid, Protein, Metabolism | Britannica
What is an amino acid? What are the 20 amino acid building blocks of proteins? What is the difference between standard and nonstandard amino acids? What are some industrial uses of …
Isoleucine | Amino Acid, Protein, Metabolism | Britannica
First isolated in 1904 from fibrin, a protein involved in blood-clot formation, isoleucine is one of several so-called essential amino acids for chicks, rats, and other higher animals, including …
Building Blocks, Protein Synthesis & Metabolism - Britannica
Nov 15, 2024 · Glycine, the simplest amino acid, obtainable by hydrolysis of proteins. Sweet-tasting, it was among the earliest amino acids to be isolated from gelatin (1820). Especially …
Nucleic acid | Definition, Function, Structure, & Types | Britannica
Oct 21, 2024 · Nucleic acids are naturally occurring chemical compounds that serve as the primary information-carrying molecules in cells. They play an especially important role in …
Amino acid - Reactions, Structure, Synthesis | Britannica
Nov 15, 2024 · Amino acid - Reactions, Structure, Synthesis: Amino acids via their various chemical functionalities (carboxyls, amino, and R groups) can undergo numerous chemical …
Amino Acid, Protein Structure & Peptide Bonds - Britannica
Proline, an amino acid obtained by hydrolysis of proteins. Its molecule contains a secondary amino group (>NH) rather than the primary amino group (>NH2) characteristic of most amino …