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Amino acids

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and each has its own structure and chemical designation. As their name implies, the one thing amino acids have in common chemically is the NH2 (amino), CO2H (acid) groups.

Some amino acids are produced in the body as intermediates of metabolic processes, whereas half of the amino acids are essential - meaning that they are obtained from dietary proteins. Amino acids are not stored for later use, so a proper diet always contains a steady supply of essential amino acids. On the other hand, plants are capable of producing all of the amino acids they require.

Proteins are metabolized, or broken up, in the body into their component amino acids, which are then used to make other proteins or chemically altered to participate in other reactions within the body.

What are amino acids?

by Tarek Musslimani

Amino acids are biologically significant compounds that are constituents of all proteins in the body. There are 20 amino acids that form the building blocks of all proteins. Each amino acid is composed of a CH group that to it atta... More>

Amino acids and their structure and function

by C.V.Rajan

What are amino acids? Amino acids are the basic structural and functional units of all proteins. The primary structure of all proteins is composed of a linear chain of amino acids linked via the peptide bond. Amino acids are an integral part of vari... More>

Essential amino acids explained

by Sandra Piddock

You probably vaguely remember the term amino acids from school science lessons, and you can remember it had something to do with protein, but that's about all. Then somebody mentions essential amino acids, and you're completely flummoxed. ... More>

How are amino acids built into proteins

by Joshua Horn

Proteins are a critical part of the functioning of all life. They make up over 50% of the dry weight of any given living cell and are critical for many important biological processes and systems, including maintaining structure, catalyzing reactions... More>

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What are branched chain amino acids

by Joshua Brandon

Amino acids are the building blocks of protein molecules. When we consume a protein source, our digestive system breaks it down into amino acids which then enter the blood stream and are taken up by t...More>
2 articles Write Now Write

Explanation of protein synthesis

by Triana Rathads

Proteins are composed of amino acids (20 different types) joined by peptide bonds, forming polypeptide chains. Proteins are essential elements in the make up of cells, used as signals, for structure, ...More>
7 articles Write Now Write

The 20 amino acids used in the human body

Essential	Non-essential
Methionine (Met, M)	Glycine (Gly, G)
Valine (Val, V)	Cysteine (Cys, C)
Lysine (Lys, K)	Alanine (Ala, A)
Leucine (Leu, L)	Proline (Pro, P)
Arginine (Arg, R)	Aspartic acid (Asp, D)
Isoleucine (Ile, I)	Glutamic acid (Glu, E)
Histidine (His, H)	Serine (Ser, S)
Phenylalanine (Phe, F)	Asparagine (Asn, N)
Tryptophan (Trp, W)	Tyrosine (Tyr, Y)
Threonine (Thr, T)	Glutamine (Gln, Q)

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Quick Facts

Role in the human body: Protein synthesis

More than 50 known amino acids, but only a total of 20 used in the human body (10 are essential amino acids, 11 if phenylalanine is deficient because it is used to make tyrosine)

Standard formula is NH2-CH-CO2H-R, where R is the differentiating functional group or side chain

Branched chain amino acids are important for skeletal muscle

Errors in amino acid metabolism result in disease, such as phenylketonuria

The basic amino acids can be chemically modified to other amino acids, such as homocysteine and ornithine.

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Chemical basis for first life theorized
SpaceDaily | 2010/09/06 00:38:37
by Staff Writers Arlington, Va. (UPI) Sep 3, 2010 The start of life on Earth presents a paradox, scientists say: How did amino acids arise before there were biological catalysts needed to build them?
Transition Metal Catalysts Could be Key To Origin of Life
Slashdot | 2010/09/05 23:45:15
An anonymous reader writes "One of the big, unsolved problems in explaining how life arose on Earth is a chicken-and-egg paradox: How could the basic biochemicals - such as amino acids and nucleotides - have arisen before the biological catalysts (proteins or ribozymes) existed to carry out their formation? In a paper appearing in the current issue of The Biological Bulletin, scientists propose ...
Transition metal catalysts could be key to origin of life, scientists report
Science Daily | 2010/09/06 04:23:05
Scientists propose that an overlooked type of biological catalyst -- metal-ligand complexes -- could have jump-started metabolism and life itself, deep in hydrothermal ocean vents.
Chemical basis for first life theorized
UPI | 2010/09/04 00:01:06
ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 3 (UPI) -- The start of life on Earth presents a paradox, scientists say: How did amino acids arise before there were biological catalysts needed to build them? Amino acid - Organism - Business - Chemicals - Biochemical
Transition metal catalysts led to origin of life?
New Kerala | 2010/09/04 08:29:31
Washington, Sept 4 : Scientists have proposed that a third type of catalyst, apart from biochemicals—such as amino acids and nucleotides and biological catalysts (proteins or ribozymes), was responsible for origin of life on Earth.