• Question: How are amino acids related to the creations of proteins, essential to the creation of life?

    Asked by watsonjc06 to Carol, John, Philip on 6 Jul 2012.
    • Photo: Carol White

      Carol White answered on 6 Jul 2012:


      Watson, you are one of my fave question askers!

      I actually look for amino acids in marine sediments – becauase if I find some, it can tell me what kind of proteins were there, which helps me figure out what species/animal types were there.

      Amino acids join in different ways to make peptides or polypeptides, and proteins are made from these groups.

      Depending on how the amino acids are lined up or sequenced, a protein will have a different shape and function.

      I guess amino acids are like Lego… build with different types and you get different things!

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