Amino Acid - compound with an amino group and a carboxyl group attached to a central carbon
- Proteins make up 50% of dry mass of cells in our bodies
- E.g. of proteins are
- Hemoglobin (carries O in blood), immunoglobin (immune system), fibrin (blood clots), collagen (cartilage between bones), enzymes (biological catalysts), keratin (hair and nails)
- Proteins are polymers of specific sequences of amino acids folded into specific 3-d shapes
- Proteins can have 1+ chains of amino acids called peptide chains