amino acids

Cultural  

1. Basic organic molecules (see also organic molecule) that combine to form proteins. Amino acids are made up of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen. Some examples of amino acids are lysine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan.

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Amino acids are the basic molecular building blocks of proteins.

Example Sentences

New research led by scientists at Penn State suggests that at least some of Bennu's amino acids may have originated in extremely cold, radioactive conditions during the earliest stages of the solar system.

From Science Daily

While they are not themselves components of living cells, they may represent early steps in the chain of reactions that eventually produce amino acids and nucleotides.

From Science Daily

They exposed the mineral to compounds commonly found in soil, including amino acids, plant acids, sugars and ribonucleotides.

From Science Daily

Importantly, the research is the first to explain how the amino acids within spider silk proteins interact in a way that allows them to act like molecular "stickers," holding the material together as it forms.

From Science Daily

Peptides are short chains made when individual amino acids link together.

From Science Daily