Chemistry of life
Living systems are built from ordinary atoms and molecules, especially water, carbon compounds, ions and large biological macromolecules.
Carbon chemistryCarbon forms stable chains, rings and complex functional groups.
WaterWater is both solvent and participant in many biochemical reactions.
MacromoleculesProteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids perform different structural and informational roles.
Energy chemistryCells couple favorable and unfavorable reactions through controlled chemical pathways.