Download Amino Acids Placemat

...where molecules become real TM
Magnified 20 Million Times
Color Key
Indicates one monomer within a polymer
Heme group
AMINO ACID
Backbone atoms
Amino acids are the monomer building blocks
of proteins. There are 20 amino acids — each
with a different shape and chemical property. As
they join together in a distinct sequence —
specified by your DNA — they spontaneously fold
into a compact shape following basic principles of
chemistry and physics.
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Carbon
β-GLOBIN
Your body produces approximately
50,000 different proteins, each with a
specific shape that allows it to perform a
specific function. β-globin is one example
of a protein. It binds to oxygen in the lungs
to deliver oxygen to your tissues. The β-globin
protein is composed of 146 amino acids joined
together in a long linear polymer that folds into a
compact shape following basic principles of
chemistry and physics.
Copyright 3D Molecular Designs - All Rights Reserved - 2009, 2014
Version 3.0