Polymer Chemistry & Biopolymers

Biochemistry of Polymers

Proteins are linear polymers built of monomer units so-called amino acids. The construction of a vast array of macromolecules or polymer structure from a limited number of monomer building blocks is a recurring theme in biochemistry. The function of a protein is directly dependent on its three dimensional structure unusually, proteins spontaneously wrinkle up into three-dimensional structures that are determined by the sequence of amino acids in the protein polymer. Thus, proteins are the embodiment of the evolution from the one-dimensional world of arrangement to the three-dimensional world of molecules capable of diverse activities.

Proteins comprise of a wide range of functional groups. These functional groups include alcohols, carboxylic acids, thiols, thioethers, carboxamides, and variety of basic groups. For instance, the chemical reactivity associated with these groups is essential to the function of enzymes, the proteins that catalyse specific chemical reactions in biological systems