proteinogenních

Proteinogenic refers to amino acids that are incorporated into proteins during translation. These are the 20 standard amino acids, along with selenocysteine and pyrrolysine, that are encoded directly by the genetic code. The sequence of these proteinogenic amino acids within a polypeptide chain determines the protein's structure and function.

The building blocks of proteins are amino acids, each possessing a central carbon atom bonded to an amino group, a carboxyl group, a hydrogen atom, and a unique side chain (R-group). It is the diversity of these R-groups that gives the 20 standard proteinogenic amino acids their distinct chemical properties, influencing how proteins fold and interact.

The process by which these amino acids are assembled into proteins is called translation. During translation, messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules, transcribed from DNA, are read by ribosomes. Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules, each carrying a specific amino acid, recognize codons on the mRNA and deliver their cargo to the growing polypeptide chain.

While the 20 standard amino acids are the most common, selenocysteine and pyrrolysine are sometimes referred to as the 21st and 22nd proteinogenic amino acids, respectively. They are incorporated into proteins through specialized translational mechanisms that differ from the standard process. The precise number and identity of proteinogenic amino acids can be a subject of ongoing biological research.