In: Biology
MACROMOLECULES:
Standard components and functional groups of amino acids and description.
Amino acids are organic compounds, which contains amine (-NH2) and carboxyl (-COOH) functional groups, along with a side chain(R group) that is specific to each amino acid. The essential elements of an amino acid are carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), and nitrogen (N), although other elements are found in the side chains of amino acids.
The components of an amino acid :
i) Central carbon atom.
ii) Hydrogen atom.
iii) Amino group - consisting of a nitrogen atom and two hydrogen atoms.
iv) Carboxyl group - consisting of a carbon atom, two oxygen atoms, and one hydrogen atom.
v) R-group or side chain - consisting of varying atoms.
Each molecule contains a central carbon (C) atom, which is known as the α-carbon to which both an amino and a carboxyl group are attached and other remaining two bonds of the α-carbon atom are assured by a hydrogen (H) atom and the R group.
Functional groups of amino acids - Amine (-NH2) and Carboxyl (-COOH).