Amino acid

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Why our bodies need proteins

Diagram showing two peptide links, each with atoms labeled for oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen. A dotted line represents a hydrogen bond connecting the two peptide links, illustrating chemical bonding between them.

Diagram showing three glycine molecules undergoing a condensation reaction to form a tripeptide chain, with two water molecules released as byproducts.

Diagram of a DNA polynucleotide chain showing linked deoxyribose sugars, phosphate groups, and nitrogenous bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine), with an inset comparing ribose and uracil in RNA.

Diagram showing the basic structure and expression of a gene, with DNA made of exons and introns, transcription to RNA, splicing to form mRNA, translation into an amino acid chain, and posttranslational modification to form a protein.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Diagram showing metabolic pathways for amino acid biosynthesis, divided into families: glutamate, aspartate, serine, pyruvate, shikimate, and histidine. Amino acids, underlined to indicate protein components, branch from intermediate compounds, with arrows showing synthesis relationships. Some intermediates and side products are labeled, and related amino acids are grouped by precursor molecules.

Figure 4: Enzyme defects in disorders of the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine.

A flowchart illustrating protein and amino acid metabolism, showing how dietary proteins are digested and absorbed into the body's amino acid pool, which is then used for building tissue and plasma proteins, creating amino acid derivatives, energy metabolism, and excretion of waste products like urea.

The chemistry of digestion: How food is broken down

At a Glance

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amino acid summary

Amino acid: Media

chemical compound

Videos

Why our bodies need proteins

Why our bodies need proteins

The structure and function of amino acids.

Video: Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

The chemistry of digestion: How food is broken down

The chemistry of digestion: How food is broken down

Learn about the chemical process the human body uses to digest carbohydrates, proteins,...

Video: © American Chemical Society (A Britannica Publishing Partner)

Understanding acids, bases, and the pH scale

Understanding acids, bases, and the pH scale

The fundamentals of acids and bases and how the pH scale is used to measure them.

Video: © American Chemical Society (A Britannica Publishing Partner)

Images

Diagram showing two peptide links, each with atoms labeled for oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen. A dotted line represents a hydrogen bond connecting the two peptide links, illustrating chemical bonding between them.

peptide bond

The linking of atoms in a peptide bond.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Diagram showing three glycine molecules undergoing a condensation reaction to form a tripeptide chain, with two water molecules released as byproducts.

condensation reaction

Condensation reaction in which three molecules of the amino acid glycine produce...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Diagram of a DNA polynucleotide chain showing linked deoxyribose sugars, phosphate groups, and nitrogenous bases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine), with an inset comparing ribose and uracil in RNA.

The polynucleotide chain of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

A portion of the polynucleotide chain of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), with an inset...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Diagram showing the basic structure and expression of a gene, with DNA made of exons and introns, transcription to RNA, splicing to form mRNA, translation into an amino acid chain, and posttranslational modification to form a protein.

gene; intron and exon

Genes are made up of promoter regions and alternating regions of introns (noncoding...

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) crystals.

Sage Ross

Diagram showing metabolic pathways for amino acid biosynthesis, divided into families: glutamate, aspartate, serine, pyruvate, shikimate, and histidine. Amino acids, underlined to indicate protein components, branch from intermediate compounds, with arrows showing synthesis relationships. Some intermediates and side products are labeled, and related amino acids are grouped by precursor molecules.

family relationships in amino acid biosyntheses

Family relationships in amino acid biosyntheses. Components of proteins are underlined....

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Figure 4: Enzyme defects in disorders of the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine.

Figure 4: Enzyme defects in disorders of the amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

A flowchart illustrating protein and amino acid metabolism, showing how dietary proteins are digested and absorbed into the body's amino acid pool, which is then used for building tissue and plasma proteins, creating amino acid derivatives, energy metabolism, and excretion of waste products like urea.

protein and amino acid metabolism

General scheme of protein and amino acid metabolism.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

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