Protein formation illustration

20 common naturally occurring amino acids are represented with colored circles. These join up to form a string of amino acids, that folds into a protein – a large molecule with a specific biological function.

Proteins — large molecules with a specific biological function — are created by stringing together smaller molecular building blocks (amino acids) into chains which fold into complex 3D shapes. 

Date:
30 March 2026
Credit:
Johan Jarnestad/The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Copyright OIST (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 沖縄科学技術大学院大学). Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).

Download full-resolution image
Share on:
x icon facebook icon linkedin icon mail icon

Related Images

Environment Minister Nobuteru Ishihara in OIST’s Golden Book

On June 29 and 30, the International Conference on Climate Change and Coral Reef Conservation (organized by the Ministry of Environment and Okinawa Prefecture with the support of OIST and the University of the Ryukyus) was held at the OIST campus. Environment Minister Nobuteru Ishihara was guided around the OIST campus and visited the Energy Materials and Surface Sciences Unit (led by Prof. Yabing Qi), in which new solar energy materials are being developed. He also stopped by at the Marine Genomics Unit (led by Prof. Noriyuki Satoh), which conducts genome research of marine organisms such as corals.