Amino Acids Flashcards
What are the two functional groups of amino acids?
NH2 and COOH
How many naturally occurring amino acids are there in a human body
20
What type of amino acids are found in the body?
What does this mean about their structure?
Alpha-Amino aicids
NH2 functional group is on the adjacent carbon to COOH
Draw a general formula for alpha amino acids
Are alpha amino acids Chiral?
Yes , one carbon has four different subsistent
Exception = Glycine where R = H
Write the equation for the first step of industrial amino acid synthesis
Aldehyde + Nitrile to produce an amino nitrile
Write an equation for the second step of industrial amino acid synthesis
And any conditions
Amino nitrile (in step 1) + Hydrochloric acid + Water —> Amino acids + Ammonium Chloride
Hydrolysis, use dilute HCl and under reflux
In what form do amino acids exist as solids?
Alpha amino acids as zwitterions in an ionic lattice - High melting and boiling point
What colours are zwitterions at room temperature
White solids
Do Zwitterions disolve in water
Yes, zwitterions have permanent +Ve and -Ve charges which causes electrostatic attraction between the +Ve charge and the lone pair within water molecules
Define a zwitterion
Ions which both have a permanent positive and negative charge, but are neutral overall
How do zwitterions occur in amino acids
COOH is deprontonated
NH2 is protonated
When the acid has reached its isoelectric point in ph
What happens to amino acids when the ph is lower then its isoelectric point
NH2 group is protonated
What happens to amino acids when it’s ph is higher then the isoelectric point
COOH is depotonated
Draw a peptide linkage
What is a dipeptide
Draw a general one for amino acids
Two amino acids bonded together
Under a peptide link
What name is given to amino acid chains up to 50 monomers
polypeptides
What name is given to chains of amino acids with more then 50
proteins
What is the process in which polypeptides are broken down into their constituent amino acids
Hydolysis
What conditions are needed for the hydrolysis oof amino acid chains
6moldm^-3 HCl
Reflux for 24h
110 Degrees
Draw the formation of a peptide link using trio generalised amino acids
hydrolysis
What is the primary structure of a protein?
The sequence of amino acid monomers along the peptide chain bonded by covalent bonds.
How is the primary structure of an amino acids represented
Sequence of 3 letter add revisions of amino acids
What is the secondary structure of a protein
The shape of the protein chain
Alpha Helix or Beta pleated sheet
What are the two options for the secondary structure of a protein
Alpha-helix shape or beta-pleated sheet
How is the secondary structure held together
Hydrogen bonding Between C=O and N-H on the polypeptide backbone
What is the tertiary shape of a protein
Alpha helix or beta pleated sheet is folded into a. complex 3D shape
How is the tertiary structure held together
a combination between
Hydrogen bonding
Ionic interactions between R groups
Sulphur-Sulphur bonding (disulphide bridges)
Van Der Waals