Biochem Lecture 1 Flashcards
(43 cards)
What process converts mRNA into proteins?
Translation
What process converts DNA to mRNA?
Transcription
What are the individual components that make up proteins?
Amino acids
What are the common components of every amino acid?
Alpha carbon in the middle
Amino group NH3+
Carboxyl group COO-
What does chiral mean?
Handedness or mirror image of each other
What is an isomer?
Same molecular formula, different configuration.
What are enantiomers?
Mirror image of each other.
How many amino acids are there?
20
How many amino acids are non polar?
9
How many amino acids are polar?
11
How many amino acids are uncharged polar and how many are charged polar?
Of the 11 that are polar, 6 are uncharged and 5 are charged.
Of the charged polar amino acids, how many are acidic vs basic?
There are 5 charged and polar. 2 acidic (negative) 3 basic (positive)
General rules for non polar amino acids.
R-groups contain only hydrocarbons with two exceptions:
Tryptophan
Methionine
Both have sandwiched polar atoms that have their electronegativity masked.
What are hydrophobic interactions and hydrophobic effect?
Hydrophobic r-groups interact and group together towards the inside of a protein to exclude water from their group. This is a major folding force in proteins.
General rule for polar uncharged amino acids.
Contain one or more electronegative atoms such as O, N, or S All able to form hydrogen bonds Contains only one N in side chain Contains hydroxyl groups -OH NOT carboxyl groups -COOH
What is hydrogen bonding?
Sharing of a hydrogen between molecules.
N-H bonds and O-H bonds are polar, creating a partial charge in each atom. These partial charges attract each other and form a weak bond.
General rule for acidic amino acids.
These are proton donors and are the only two with carboxyl side chain groups.
General rule for basic amino acids.
Proton acceptors
Have amines or N groups in side chains without O nearby
What bonds can charged amino acids form?
Ionic and hydrogen
Name the non-polar amino acids
There are 9: Glycine Alanine Valine Leucine Isoleucine Phenylalanine Tryptophan Methionine Proline
Name the polar, non-charged amino acids
There are 6: Serine Threonine Tyrosine Asparagine Glutamine Cysteine
Name the polar, negatively charged amino acids
There are 2 acidic:
Aspartic acid
Glutamic acid
Name the polar, positively charged amino acids
There are 3 basic:
Histidine
Lysine
Arginine
Classify Glutamate
Glutamic acid,
Polar, neg charge
