What type of compound is formed by chains of polypeptides?

What type of compound is formed by chains of polypeptides?

• A. Lipid
• B. Carbohydrate
• C. Protein
• D. Nucleic acid

Answer: (C)

Polypeptides are long chains of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. When these chains fold and interact with each other, they can form a functional protein. Proteins are essential macromolecules that play various roles in biological processes, including enzymatic activity, structural support, signaling, and immune response. The structure of proteins can vary from simple, single polypeptide chains to complex formations involving multiple polypeptides that form a functional unit. This crucial aspect of protein chemistry underlines the importance of polypeptide chains—they are foundational to creating the three-dimensional structures necessary for proteins to function correctly. While lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids are also essential biological macromolecules, they are distinct in their structures and functions. For example, lipids serve primarily as energy storage and structural components of cell membranes, carbohydrates are involved in energy supply and structural roles in cells, and nucleic acids are responsible for genetic information storage and transfer. Each of these classes of compounds has a different relationship with polypeptides, which are specific to proteins. Thus, when chains of polypeptides come together, the compound formed is definitively a protein.

Polypeptides are long chains of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. When these chains fold and interact with each other, they can form a functional protein. Proteins are essential macromolecules that play various roles in biological processes, including enzymatic activity, structural support, signaling, and immune response.

The structure of proteins can vary from simple, single polypeptide chains to complex formations involving multiple polypeptides that form a functional unit. This crucial aspect of protein chemistry underlines the importance of polypeptide chains—they are foundational to creating the three-dimensional structures necessary for proteins to function correctly.

While lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids are also essential biological macromolecules, they are distinct in their structures and functions. For example, lipids serve primarily as energy storage and structural components of cell membranes, carbohydrates are involved in energy supply and structural roles in cells, and nucleic acids are responsible for genetic information storage and transfer. Each of these classes of compounds has a different relationship with polypeptides, which are specific to proteins. Thus, when chains of polypeptides come together, the compound formed is definitively a protein.