ABSTRACT
This chapter covers the often occurring difference in "mindset" between the nucleic acid and protein biopolymers. It discusses the shapes of macromolecules, both synthetic and natural, which can be described in terms of primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure. The chapter shows the contributions from studying both natural and synthetic polymers are being used to forward the science of both sets of macromolecules. Organic polymers are responsible for the very life—both plant and animal—that exists. Proteins and nucleic acids typically act as individual units, the nanoworld in action, while many other natural polymers and synthetic polymers act in concert with one another. Another difference between proteins and nucleic acids and other biopolymers and synthetic polymers involves the influence of stress–strain activities on the material properties. The many different monodisperse polymers of amino acids, which are essential components of plants and animals, are called proteins. The chapter also presents the structures of the 20 common amino acids.
