proteins

Proteins are large molecules that play an integral role in the body’s function. Proteins perform functions in the body such as enzyme catalysis, DNA replication, cell signaling, and transportation of molecules from one location to another. Proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids, which are made from the 20 amino acids. What makes proteins differ from one another is the specific sequence of amino acids and their three-dimensional structure. There are four distinct structures a protein can have which are primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary. As proteins begin to form during the primary stage they start out in a linear chain of amino acids. In the secondary structure the linear chain of amino acids begins to twist. In the tertiary structure the amino acid chains continue to fold and twist and form bonds from disulfide bridges, which are made of two sulfur atoms. In the final and quaternary structure the chains fold together into a tighter knit structure forming proteins such as hemoglobin.

Amino acids are made up of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and sulfu...