What term refers to the building blocks of proteins?

Amino acids are indeed the building blocks of proteins. Each protein is made up of one or more long chains of amino acids, which are linked together by peptide bonds. The sequence and properties of these amino acids determine the structure and function of the protein, which is crucial for various biological functions in organisms. Amino acids contain a central carbon atom, an amino group, a carboxyl group, a hydrogen atom, and a variable side chain (R group) that distinguishes each amino acid from others.

In contrast, fatty acids are components of lipids and are not involved in protein formation. Nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, and play a role in the storage and transmission of genetic information. Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates and serve as energy sources or structural components, but they are unrelated to protein structure. Thus, amino acids uniquely fulfill the role as the fundamental units that construct proteins.