Amino Acids And Proteins Flashcards
(56 cards)
What are amino acids? How do they influence protein structure and function? How many aa are made in protein synthesis?
Building blocks of proteins (order, number, and chemical identity determine protein structure and function)
20
What do amino acids consist of? (4 components)
Amine group (-NH)
Carboxyl group/carboxylic acid group (-COOH)
R group (defines the aa)
Hydrogen atom
With alpha carbon in the center
Do amino acids act as a acid or base when dissolved in water? What is this type of molecule called?
Can act as both: base (acceptor) or acid (donor)
Amphoteric molecules (able to react as acid and base)
Exist as zwitterion (hybrid ion) a
What is the chiral center of the aa? What does it allow for?
Alpha carbon
Allows for optical isomerism
Describe an isomer and stereoisomer? How many possible stereoisomers does aa have? What are they referred as?
Isomer- same molecular formula but different structural formulas and properties
Stereoisomer- same formula but different spatial arrangement
2 possible stereoisomers (D and L isomers)
Enantiomers (mirrored images)
What are two ways in which aa can be classified?
By chemical properties or whether or not they can be produced in the body.
What is the difference between essential, conditionally non-essential, and non-essential aa?
Essential- cannot be produced by body, comes from diet
Conditionally non-essential- can be produced by body but at lower rates then conditionally needed, essential at certain times only
Non-essential- can be produced by body
Are aa hydrophobic or hydrophilic? What portion of aa bonds with water?
Both
Hydrogen bonds with water
What are rare aa?
Derived from common aa
Why can aa dissolved in water act as base or acid?
Can be hydrophilic acid or base
Have charge to be able to accept or donate hydrogen ion
What aa is found in myosin in the muscle?
What aa is found in blood clotting protein prothrombin?
Methyllysine
y-carboxyglutamate
What are peptide bonds? What portions of the aa participate in peptide bond?
Bonds between aa
C from COOH of one aa and N from N2H form peptide bond
What is a tripeptide?
Combination of dipeptide and one amino acid
What are the 4 types of non covalent (weak) interactions among biomolecules?
Hydrogen bonds
Ionic interactions
Hydrophobic interactions
Van der Waals interactions
Describe the interaction of non polar side groups/chains? Are they hydrophobic or hydrophilic? What types of bonds do they form? (Intermolecular)
Attracted to each other via Van der Waals interactions
Hydrophobic interactions
Clump together away from water
Describe the interactions between polar side groups/chains. Are they hydrophobic or hydrophilic? What type of bonds do they form? What affect does this have on protein solubility? (Intermolecular)
Hydrophilic interactions
Hydrogen bonds to other polar groups and to water to increase protein solubility
What affect does the presence of acidic or base side chains have on aa? What does this bond exist between on two different aa? (Intermolecular)
Leads to ionic charges
Ionic bonds forms between carboxylate groups of a side chain and ammonium ion from side chain of another aa
Describe a disulfate bridge within an aa. Between what two things does it connect to? Is it intermolecular or intramolecular? What bond is formed after oxidation?
AA cysteine with a sulfhydryl group can interact with another cysteine group and its sulfhydryl group.
Intramolecular
Covalent bond forms
Describe the primary structure of a protein. It is found in all proteins?
Sequence of aa connected by peptide bonds
Found in all proteins
Describe the primary structure of insulin. How many aa? What are the two components that make it up? What kind of hormone is it and what is its function?
Composed of 51 aa
Dimer of two peptide chains linked by disulfide bonds
Peptide hormone
Metabolizes of carbohydrates, fats and proteins
Describe the primary peptide glucagon? How many aa does it have? What is it produced by? What processes does it promote?
Peptide hormone
29 aa
Pancreatic islets of Langerhans
Promotes gluconeogenesis and glycogneolysis
What are the 5 happiness hormone associated with the primary structure of protein? What are each of them classified as?
Dopamine (monoamine neurotransmitter derived from aromatic aa)
Serotonin (monoamine neurotransmitter derived from aromatic aa)
Oxytocin (peptide)
Endorphin (peptide)
Cortisol (steroid)
Describe secondary protein structure. What kinds of bonds are associated with it?
Local folding of the polypeptide chain into alpha helices or beta pleated sheets
Hydrogen bonds
In the alpha helix, how many hydrogen bonds are associated with each peptide bond? What two proteins that can be found in the eye have a secondary structure alpha helix?
2 hydrogen bonds
Keratin
Collagen