What Are Different Types of Amino Acids?
There are many different types of amino acids, which act as the basic structural units of proteins and serve many other important biological functions. These varying types of amino acids are grouped into several categories based on several different factors, such as the mechanisms through which they are synthesized and whether or not they can be acquired through one’s diet. All amino acids contain an amine group, or a compound that has a nitrogen with a lone pair of electrons. They also have a carboxylic acid group, which are acids involving a compound attached to a carbon atom, an oxygen atom, and a hydroxide molecule. Different types of amino acids are distinguished by a side chain that is unique to each amino acid.