Life+Changes.+Variation.+Proteins

{$page} include component="page" wikiName="wikids" page="_menuoptions" < Prev + More > Next include component="page" wikiName="wikids" page="_close" Living things need lots of different __proteins__. Their cells are made up of proteins.

Proteins make the colors in ladybugs and the colors of other living things. Proteins control what goes into a cell and what comes out of it. They control muscle movement and many more functions in cells.

There isn't space to say everything that proteins do. There are about 10,000 different proteins in each cell of a living creature. Each one does a different job!

Proteins are made from simpler molecules, called __amino-acids__. There are twenty different amino-acids that make up proteins. Each one has been given a letter, A, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W or Y.

The amino-acids form chains to make proteins. Each different chain of amino-acids makes a different protein.