Final answer:
Proteins are most often composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Step-by-step explanation:
The elements that most often compose proteins are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. These four elements combine to form amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Amino acids consist of a central carbon atom bonded to a hydrogen atom, an amino group (containing nitrogen), a carboxyl group (containing carbon and oxygen), and a variable side chain. The side chain, which differs for each amino acid, gives proteins their unique structure and function.
Learn more about Composition of proteins