What elements (Atoms) are proteins made of?

Answer 1

Proteins are primarily made up of the following elements:

1. Carbon (C) - Forms the backbone of the amino acids and proteins.
2. Hydrogen (H) - Present in the amino acids and various functional groups.
3. Oxygen (O) - Found in the carboxyl groups of amino acids and in the peptide bonds that link amino acids together.
4. Nitrogen (N) - Essential component of amino acids, which contain an amino group (-NH₂).
5. Sulfur (S) - Present in some amino acids, like cysteine and methionine, and contributes to the formation of disulfide bridges that stabilize protein structure.

These elements combine to form amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. There are 20 standard amino acids that differ in their side chains (R groups) and contribute to the unique properties and functions of different proteins.