Names and structures of 20 amino acids

Question 1

What does the amino acid Glycine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 1

Side chain = one H atom
Small, hydrophobic amino acid
Gly, G

Question 2

What does the amino acid Alanine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 2

Side chain = one CH3 group
Small, hydrophobic amino acid
Ala, A

Question 3

What does the amino acid Valine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 3

Side chain = CH3CH2CH3
Bulky, hydrophobic amino acid
Val, V

Question 4

What does the amino acid Leucine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 4

Side chain = CH2CHCH3CH3
Bulky, hydrophobic amino acid
Leu, L

Question 5

What does the amino acid Isoleucine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 5

Side chain = CH3CHCH2CH3
Bulky hydrophobic amino acid
Ile, I

Question 6

What does the amino acid Methionine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 6

Side chain = CH2CH2SCH3
Bulky hydrophobic amino acid
Met, M

Question 7

What does the amino acid Cysteine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 7

Side chain = CH2SH
Contains a thiol (SH) group so can form disulphide bonds
Cys, C

Question 8

What does the amino acid Phenylalanine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 8

Side chain = CH2-hexane ring
Aromatic, hydrophobic amino acid
Phe, F

Question 9

What does the amino acid Tyrosine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 9

Side chain = CH2-phenol (hexane ring with an OH group)
Aromatic hydrophobic amino acid
Tyr, Y

Question 10

What does the amino acid Tryptophane look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 10

Side chain = CH2- 5ring with a Nitrogen - hexane
Aromatic, hydrophobic amino acid
Trp, W

Question 11

What does the amino acid Serine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 11

Side chain = CH2OH
Polar, uncharged (has an OH group)
Ser, S

Question 12

What does the amino acid Threonine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 12

Side chain = CH3CHOH
Polar, uncharged (contains an OH group)
Thr, T

Question 13

What does the amino acid Lysine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 13

Side chain = CH2CH2CH2CH2NH3+
Basic (+vely charged), polar amino acid
Lys, K

Question 14

What does the amino acid Arginine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 14

Side chain = CH2CH2CH2NHC+(NH2)2
Basic (+vely charged), polar amino acid
Arg, R

Question 15

What does the amino acid Histidine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 15

Side chain = CH2 - hexane ring with 2 Ns
Basic (+vely charged), polar amino acid
His, H

Question 16

What does the amino acid Aspartate look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 16

Side chain = CH2C-(O2)
Acidic (-vely charged), polar amino acid
Asp, D

Question 17

What does the amino acid Glutamate look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 17

Side chain = CH2CH2C-(O2)
Acidic (-vely charged), polar amino acid
Glu, E

Question 18

What does the amino acid Asparagine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 18

Side chain = CH2OCNH2
Uncharged, polar amino acid (contains a C=O group)
Asn, N

Question 19

What does the amino acid Glutamine look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 19

Side chain = CH2CH2OCNH2
Uncharged, polar amino acid (contains a C=O group)
Gln, Q

Question 20

What does the amino acid Proline look like, what are it’s characteristic properties, and what is it’s three-letter and one-letter code?

Answer 20

Side chain = C- CH2CH2CH2 ring - N
Forms a five membered ring by bonding to the N atom.
Rigid side chain, often forces a sharp “bend” in the main chain
Called an Imino acid as well as an amino acid (as contains an NH group instead of the usual NH3+)
Pro, P