Question

The number of amino acids in insulin is:
A.21
B.574
C.51
D.5733

Answer 1

Hint: Amino acids are the compounds containing two functional groups namely amino group $\left( { - {\rm{N}}{{\rm{H}}_{\rm{2}}}} \right)$ and carboxyl group (-COOH). The classification of amino acid is done is four types, that is, $\alpha ,\,\beta ,\,\gamma ,\,\delta $
depending on the position of the amino group with respect to the carboxyl group.

Complete step by step answer:
Let’s first understand insulin in detail. Insulin is a hormone manufactured by beta cells of pancreas. It is the most important anabolic hormone of our body. Its function is to regulate the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins by promoting glucose absorption from the blood into fat, liver and skeletal muscle cells.
Now, we will discuss the structure of insulin. Insulin is composed of two polypeptide chains namely subunit A and B. Subunit A possesses twenty one amino acids and subunit B consists of thirty amino acids. These two subunits are connected by the disulphide bridges. So, the total number of amino acids is 51 (21+30=51).

Hence, the correct answer is option C.

Additional Information:
The primary energy source of our body is glucose which is produced from food. Diabetic patients are not allowed to consume sugar because they cannot produce enough insulin that absorbs glucose from blood. This causes an increase in blood glucose level. If they consume sugar, glucose levels in their body increase faster which is dangerous.

Note: Always remember that insulin is a very important hormone as it balances the glucose level in our blood. If the glucose level is high in our body insulin signals our body to store excess glucose in the liver. The stored glucose is released when our body needs extra energy.