Amino acids form which type of molecule?

Amino acids form which type of molecule?

• A. Nucleic acids
• B. Carbohydrates
• C. Polypeptides (proteins)
• D. Lipids

Answer: (C)

Amino acids link to form polypeptides, the molecules that become proteins. When amino acids join, they form peptide bonds in a dehydration reaction between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of the next. The sequence of amino acids encodes how the chain folds into a specific three-dimensional shape, which determines the protein’s function—things like catalysis, signaling, or structural support. This is what makes proteins distinct from other macromolecules: nucleic acids are built from nucleotides, carbohydrates from sugars, and lipids from fatty acids and glycerol (or isoprenoid components). So amino acids form polypeptides, which, upon folding, function as proteins.

Amino acids link to form polypeptides, the molecules that become proteins. When amino acids join, they form peptide bonds in a dehydration reaction between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of the next. The sequence of amino acids encodes how the chain folds into a specific three-dimensional shape, which determines the protein’s function—things like catalysis, signaling, or structural support. This is what makes proteins distinct from other macromolecules: nucleic acids are built from nucleotides, carbohydrates from sugars, and lipids from fatty acids and glycerol (or isoprenoid components). So amino acids form polypeptides, which, upon folding, function as proteins.