Your body is made up of several hundred THOUSAND different kinds of proteins.
Proteins are made up of chains of amino acids. There are only 20 different amino acids commonly found in proteins.
In different combinations they can make proteins as different as hair and muscle!
Question: What atoms are found in this molecule?
CLICK the BUTTON to see the atoms more clearly.
HEMOGLOBIN is a very important protein.
This is the protein that makes your blood RED and carries OXYGEN from your lungs to the rest of your body.
- Use the "Display" commands (click on the MDL to the left or Right Click on the molecule) to view this model as a "Ball and Stick" structure.
- Hemoglobin is made up of hundreds of amino acids linked together in long chains.
- To see just the chains "Display" the model in a "Backbone" or "Ribbon" format.
- Try to "Color" by "Chain". How many chains are in this model?
- Now "Display" again as "Ball and Stick".
- The flat, differently colored pieces are HEME; this is where OXYGEN binds for transport throughout your body
(Hold down the SHIFT key and drag hemoglobin with your mouse to ZOOM.)
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