What are proteins made of?

Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are organic compounds that serve as the building blocks for proteins. Each protein consists of one or more long chains of amino acids, and there are 20 different amino acids that can combine in various sequences to form a wide variety of proteins. The specific sequence of amino acids determines the unique structure and function of each protein, which can include roles such as enzymes, hormones, or structural components in cells and tissues.

The other options reference components that belong to different biomolecule categories. Fatty acids are the building blocks of lipids, glucose is a simple sugar that serves as a primary energy source, and nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA. Understanding the distinct roles of these biomolecules is essential in grasping the broader concepts of biochemistry and molecular biology.