Amino acid is to protein as
- amino acid is to lipid
- DNA is to RNA
- sugar is to fat
- simple sugar is to cellulose
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is 4. simple sugar is to cellulose.
Explanation:
To understand this analogy, we need to look at the relationships between the terms involved.
- Amino acid is to protein: Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Proteins are polymers made up of long chains of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. The sequence and composition of these amino acids determine the structure and function of the protein.
- Simple sugar is to cellulose: Similar to how amino acids form proteins, simple sugars (monosaccharides) serve as the fundamental units that make up larger carbohydrates. Cellulose, for example, is a polysaccharide composed of long chains of glucose molecules linked by β-1,4-glycosidic bonds. While cellulose provides structural support in plant cell walls, it is derived from the simple sugar glucose, illustrating a direct relationship between the two.
The other options do not maintain the same type of relationship:
- Amino acid is to lipid: This analogy doesn’t hold because lipids are not made up of amino acids. Lipids are primarily composed of fatty acids and glycerol.
- DNA is to RNA: While DNA and RNA are related as nucleic acids, they are not building blocks of one another. Rather, RNA is synthesized from a DNA template during transcription, so they have a different relationship than that of building blocks to their larger structures.
- Sugar is to fat: This analogy is also incorrect because sugars (carbohydrates) and fats (lipids) are different classes of macromolecules that do not have a direct building block relationship. Sugars can be converted into fats in the body, but they are not analogous in structure.
In summary, both amino acids and simple sugars serve as foundational units that combine to form larger, complex structures—proteins and cellulose, respectively—making 4. simple sugar is to cellulose the best answer.