Question

What‌ ‌molecules‌ ‌make‌ ‌up‌ ‌Proteins?‌

Answer 1

Hint: Proteins are complex molecules present in all forms of living matter. They are very large molecules. The building blocks of proteins are amino acids, which means their monomer units are amino acids.

Complete answer:
The word Protein comes from the Greek word “Proteios”, which means “the first”. They are highly complex substances, being macromolecules. Proteins are natural molecules, and are involved in many critical functions in the human body. These are the building materials for the body in all living cells. They regulate metabolism, and also play an important role in the functioning of the nervous system. Skin, hair, muscles, tendons et cetera are composed of proteins. Protein molecules are essential for growth and maintenance of life.
Proteins are macromolecular polypeptides – they are polymers with high molecular mass and are polyamides in nature. The monomer units of a protein molecule are \[\alpha - amino carboxylic acids\] . The condensation of more than $1000$ molecules of amino acids give a protein molecule as the product. On hydrolysis, all proteins form \[\alpha - amino acids\], in which around $26$ different types of \[\alpha - amino acids\] are obtained. Also, the polypeptides with molecular mass more than $10,000$ are termed as proteins.
Amino acids are organic compounds containing both amino and carboxyl groups in their molecules. Peptides are amides formed by condensation of amino groups of one \[\alpha - amino acids\] with the carboxyl group of another carboxylic acid, involving elimination of one molecule of water. Polypeptides are polymers of peptide chains, and the condensation of many of these polypeptide chains gives us a protein molecule.

Note:
All proteins also contain elements such as Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Sulphur, along with some containing trace elements of Iodine, Phosphorous, Zinc et cetera. Although such elements are present in protein molecules, it is fundamentally made of \[\alpha - amino carboxylic acids\]. Plants synthesise proteins from carbon dioxide, water, and inorganic compounds, while animals get their protein requirements from plants.