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Biology for Kids

Proteins and Amino Acids

What are amino acids?

Amino acids are special organic molecules used by living organisms to make proteins. The main elements in amino acids are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. There are twenty different kinds of amino acids that combine to make proteins in our bodies. Our bodies can actually make some amino acids, but the rest we must get from our food.

What are proteins?

Proteins are long chains of amino acids. There are thousands of different proteins in the human body. They provide all sorts of functions to help us survive.


Structure of a protein

Why are they important?

Proteins are essential for life. Around 20% of our body is made up of proteins. Every cell in our body uses proteins to perform functions.

How are they made?

Proteins are made inside cells. When a cell makes a protein it is called protein synthesis. The instructions for how to make a protein are held in DNA molecules inside the cell nucleus. The two major stages in making a protein are called transcription and translation.

Transcription

The first step in making a protein is called transcription. This is when the cell makes a copy (or "transcript") of the DNA. The copy of DNA is called RNA because it uses a different type of nucleic acid called ribonucleic acid. The RNA is used in the next step, which is called translation.

Translation

The next step in making a protein is called translation. This is when the RNA is converted (or "translated") into a sequence of amino acids that makes up the protein.

The translation process of making the new protein from the RNA instructions takes place in a complex machine in the cell called the ribosome. The following steps take place in the ribosome.

How a ribosome makes a protein

Different Types of Proteins

There are literally thousands of different types of proteins in our bodies. Here are a few of the major groups and functions of proteins:
Interesting Facts about Proteins and Amino Acids Activities

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