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Proteins
Functions:
1.
To build and repair cell structure
2.
To speed up chemical reactions (done by a
special group of proteins called enzymes)
3.
As a last resort, to be used as energy.
Composed of:
 small units called amino acids bonded
together
There are only 20 types of amino acids, but
there are millions of proteins. Therefore the
number of amino acids, and their sequence
determine the protein.
Only 12 of the amino acids can be made by our
body, the rest have to come from our food (meat,
nuts). These 8 are called Essential Amino Acids.
Generally, amino acids look like:
molecules
A chain of amino acids is called a polypeptide.
It isn't called a protein at this point because it does
not become functional until it folds into the proper
shape. If a protein loses its shape, it stops
working. This is called denaturation.