The monomers of proteins are amino acids/03%3A_Biological_Macromolecules/3.08%3A_Proteins_-Amino_Acids). Proteins are composed of different arrangements of the same 20 amino acids, each with the same fundamental structure consisting of a central carbon atom bonded to an amino group (NH2), a carboxyl group (COOH), a hydrogen atom, and a variable "R" group/03%3A_Biological_Macromolecules/3.08%3A_Proteins-Amino_Acids). The "R" group, or side chain, gives each amino acid specific characteristics, including size, polarity, and pH/03%3A_Biological_Macromolecules/3.08%3A_Proteins-Amino_Acids). When hundreds or thousands of amino acids join together, they create proteins, which are then used for many tasks in organisms, such as doing work in cells, helping with DNA replication, and more/03%3A_Biological_Macromolecules/3.08%3A_Proteins-_Amino_Acids).