What group of compounds do amino acids belong to?

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, which places them directly into the category of proteins. Proteins are large biomolecules made up of long chains of amino acids, and the specific sequence and composition of these amino acids determine the protein's structure and function. Each amino acid has a central carbon atom bonded to an amino group, a carboxyl group, a hydrogen atom, and a distinctive side chain or R group that varies among different amino acids.

In the context of biochemistry, amino acids play a crucial role in various biological processes. They serve not only as the raw materials for protein synthesis but also participate in metabolic pathways, contribute to cell signaling, and function in neurotransmitter roles. This intrinsic relationship between amino acids and proteins is fundamental to the structure-function paradigm in biology.

While carbohydrates, nucleotides, and lipids represent other major classes of biomolecules—each serving distinct roles in living organisms—amino acids are exclusively classified under proteins due to their unique contribution to the formation of polypeptide chains and ultimately complex protein structures.