1.4 Amino Acids - alunga20/Concepts_of_Molecular_Biology GitHub Wiki

Amino acids are molecules that combine to form proteins. Amino acids and proteins are the building blocks of life. When proteins are digested or broken down, amino acids are left. The human body uses amino acids to make proteins to help the body: Break down food.

The are classified as essential and non essential amino acids.

Essential amino acids: 

Amino acids which cannot be synthesized or produced by the body and are required from food supplements are called essential amino acids.

There are 9 essential amino acids that include leucine, isoleucine, histidine, lysine, methionine, threonine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine.

Non-essential amino acids:

Amino acids which are produced or synthesised by our bodies and are not taken up as food supplements are called nonessential amino acids.

There are 20 total amino acids common in all life forms and the nonessential amino acids out of these include arginine, alanine, aspartic acid, asparagine, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, proline, glycine, serine and tyrosine.

Without these amino acids, our body will find it hard to make up proteins it needs which are required for the repair, growth and maintenance of cells.

Amino Acid	Three Letter code	One Letter code
Alanine	ala	A
Arginine	arg	R
Asparagine	asn	N
Aspartic acid	asp	D
Asparagine/asp acid	asx	B
Cysteine	cys	C
Glutamic acid	glu	E
Glutamine	gln	Q
Glutamine/gln acid	glx	Z
Glycine	gly	G
Histidine	his	H
Isoleucine	ile	I
Leucine	leu	L
Lysine	lys	K
Methionine	met	M
Phenylalanine	phe	F
Proline	pro	P
Serine	ser	S
Threonine	thr	T
Tryptophan	trp	W
Tyrosine	tyr	Y
Valine	val	V