Elements of protein

Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen dominate biomass composition, but neither proteins nor nucleic acids could be built with just those three elements.

Proteins are major components of all organisms. Proteins have several essential roles in animals and plants.
*Enzymes
*Structural
*Defense
*Transport
*Hormones
*Storage

All proteins contain nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Many also contain sulfur; some contain phosphorus and a few contain other elements such as zinc, iron and copper.

Groundnuts: Good source of protein

Although protein vary somewhat in composition, the typical elemental analysis in 16% nitrogen, 50% carbon, 7% hydrogen, 22% oxygen and 0.5%-3% sulfur.

Nucleic acid cannot be formed without phosphate groups, and phosphorus is also essential for intracellular energy conversion via adenosine triphospahte (ATP).

Twenty amino acids are used for protein synthesis. Plants can make all of these from carbon captured during photosynthesis, in addition to nitrogen and sulfur taken up from the soil.
Elements of protein