What elements differentiate the amino acids of a protein from the sugars of a carbohydrate?

Answered Oct 25

Carbohydrates and lipids are all CHO, which includes Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen. These can be in different proportions, depending on the specific molecule.

Amino acids, by definition, have an amine group, which includes a Nitrogen. They all have an N on their backbone, and some have an N on the side chain. Cysteine and Methionine have a Sulfur on the side chain.

A few enzymes use an amino acid with Selenium instead of Sulfur.