Amino acids are important for the proper functioning of our body. there are 20 amino acids required for health and growth which can be classified into essential and non-essential amino acids. Essential amino acids can not be synthesised in the body thus they have to be obtained from our diet while non-essential amino acids can be made in the body. Some examples of essential amino acids are lysine, leucine and hisitidine
The general formula of an amino acids is
The R group is the only variable part of an amino acids and they can be nonpolar or hydrophobic, polar or hydrophilic, aromatic, positively charged or basic and negatively charged or acidic.
Non-polar examples:
Glycine which is the smallest amino acid.
Alanine and proline.
Polar examples:
Serine, Threonine, Cysteine
Aromatic R groups:
Phenylalanine, Tryrosine, Tryptophan
Positively charged R groups:
Lysine, Arginine, Histidine
Negatively charged R groups:
Aspartate and Glutamate
Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.
