Chapter 4 - Amino Acids Flashcards
(43 cards)
proteins
- biological macromolecules that act as enzymes, hormones, receptors, channels, transporters, antibodies, and support structures inside/outside cells - composed of 20 different amino acids uniquely linked together
amino acids
- 20 distinct molecules - building blocks of proteins - alpha amino group, carboxyl group, tetrahedral carbon, and variable R-group
3 chemical properties of amino acids
- shape - ability to hydrogen bond - ability to act as an acid or base
acidic amino acids
- aspartic acid (Asp, D) - glutamic acid (Glu, E) - histidine (His, H)
basic amino acids
- lysine (Lys, K) - arginine (Arg, R) - histidine (His, H)
hydrophobic (aliphatic) amino acids
- glycine (Gly, G) - alanine (Ala, A) - valine (Val, V) - leucine (Leu, L) - isoleucine (Ile, I) - methionine (Met, M)
hydrophobic (aromatic) amino acids
- phenylalanine (Phe, F) - tryptophan (Trp, W)
hydrophobic amino acids are found on the _____
interior of folded globular proteins, away from water
polar amino acids do not ____
act as acids or bases
hydrophilic amino acids
- serine (Ser, S) - threonine (Thr, T) - tyrosine (Tyr, Y) - aromatic - asparagine (Asn, N) - glutamine (Gln, Q) - cysteine (Cys, C)
proline
- hydrophobic - amino group covalently bound to its non-polar side chain - secondary alpha-amino group - distinctive ring structure
sulfur-containing amino acids
- cysteine (thiol or sulfhydryl) - methionine (thioether)
nine essential amino acids
- lysine - histidine - threonine - valine - leucine - isoleucine - phenylalanine - tryptophan - methionine
lysine and arginine are _____
protonated at physiological pH
acidic functional groups in acidic amino acids
- two backbone groups - R-group
important modification in serine, threonine, and tyrosine
- hydroxyl group attaches with a phosphate group by kinase - changes structure, regulates protein activity
zwitterion
- balanced positive and negative charges on a molecule - dipolar
isoelectric point
pH where molecule is uncharged (zwitterionic)
if pH of solution is lower than pKa then the group will mostly be in its ____
protonated form
if pH of solution is higher than pKa then the group will mostly be in its ____
de-protonated form
peptide bonds
- covalent bonds that link amino acids together - between carboxyl group & amino group - loss of water
disulfide bridges
- covalent bonds that link cysteine R-groups - thiol-thiol bond (oxidized)
what is the pattern formed that is known as the backbone?
N-C-C-N-C-C
residue
individual amino acid when it is part of a polypeptide chain