CHNOPS

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The acronym CHNOPS denotes the six most important elements that can be found in various combinations in most biomolecules . The individual letters stand for the abbreviations of the elements carbon , hydrogen , nitrogen , oxygen , phosphorus and sulfur . In this context, the name CHNOPS also acts as a donkey bridge for chemistry and biology classes.

Hydrocarbons are compounds of carbon with hydrogen that occur in all forms of life, where they form the backbone of the biomolecules that are created through the connection with functional groups .

Nitrogen is part of the functional group of amines and, as such, part of all protein compounds. It is also an essential component of deoxyribonucleic acid and chlorophyll .

Oxygen forms numerous functional groups and is of central importance for the respiration of almost all living things.

Phosphorus is the basis for building phospholipids , a class of lipids that are a major part of all cell membranes , and hold ions , proteins and other molecules where they are needed for cell function . Phosphate groups are also an essential part of the backbone of nucleic acids and are necessary to form ATP  - the main molecules that are used as an energy source for the cell in all living things.

Sulfur is part of the amino acids cysteine and methionine .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The acronym SP Cohn was also used in high school biology classes to represent the six chemical elements. Education: CHNOPS: The Six Most Abundant Elements of Life . In: Pearson Education . Pearson BioCoach . 2010. Retrieved on December 10, 2010: “Most biological molecules are made from covalent combinations of six important elements, whose chemical symbols are CHNOPS. ... Although more than 25 types of elements can be found in biomolecules, six elements are most common. These are called the CHNOPS elements; the letters stand for the chemical abbreviations of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur. "
  2. ^ Neil A. Campbell, Brad Williamson, Robin J. Heyden: Biology: Exploring Life . Pearson Prentice Hall, Boston, Massachusetts 2006, ISBN 0-13-250882-6 .
  3. ↑ Brosnan JT, Brosnan ME: The sulfur-containing amino acids: an overview . In: The Journal of Nutrition . 136, No. 6 Suppl, June 2006, pp. 1636S-1640S. PMID 16702333 .