Hi I'm having major problems with monomers in proteins. One what is a monomer Two what is it doing in a protien?
Much thanks,
Rosie
A "monomer" is a single unit of a polymer and a polymer is just a bunch of monomers (single units) hooked together. Teflon is a polymer. It is made by hooking a lot of monomer units of tetrafluoroethylene, F2C=CF2, together (at the double bond so it looks like this, -(F2C-CF2)-.The double bond simple opens up, and another unit of F2C=CF2 hooks to the left side and another F2C=CF2 hooks to the other side. That continues until the raaction stops. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are polymers. For example, table sugar, a disaccharide, consists of two units of simple sugars hooked together (fructose and glucose are monosaccharides and they combine to form sucrose, a disaccharide). Carbohydrates are just many more simple units of largely monosaccharides to form starch which is a polysaccharide.)
thank you!
Hi Rosie! I see that you have some questions about monomers in proteins. Let's break it down:
1. What is a monomer?
A monomer is a single unit or molecule that can join together with other similar units to form a larger, more complex structure called a polymer. In the context of proteins, the monomers are called amino acids.
2. What is the role of monomers in proteins?
In proteins, amino acids act as the building blocks or monomers that combine together through chemical bonds to form a chain-like structure called a polypeptide. These polypeptides then fold and interact with each other to form the final three-dimensional shape of the protein.
Each amino acid consists of an amino group (NH2), a carboxyl group (COOH), and a side chain known as the R-group. The R-group varies across different amino acids and contributes to their unique properties. The sequence and arrangement of amino acids in a protein determine its structure and function.
It's important to note that not all proteins are made up of the same amino acids or have the same sequence. The specific combination and order of amino acids in a protein determine its unique properties and functions.
To understand and study the role of monomers in proteins, you can start by learning about the 20 different types of amino acids found in proteins. Understanding their properties, interactions, and how they contribute to protein structure and function will give you a deeper understanding of monomers in proteins.
I hope this explanation helps you! If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.