Amino Acids Flashcards
Glycine
- Achiral
- Neurotransmitter that makes channels permeable to Cl- (influx) which is inhibitory because it changes the membrane potential with a negative charge
- Aliphatic
- Hydrophobic
Valine
- Isopropyl group
- Aliphatic
- Non-polar Hydrophobic
Isoleucine
- 2 chiral centers
- Secbutyl group
- Isomer of Leucine
- Aliphatic
- Non-polar Hydrophobic
Phenylalanine
- Benzyl group
- Aromatic stacking
- Aromatic
- Non-polar Hydrophobic
Proline
- Imino Acid
- Forces kinks in proteins and when transitioning between structures
- Aliphatic
- Hydrophobic
Threonine
- 2 chiral centers
- Aliphatic
- Polar Hydrophobic
Alanine
- Can be converted into pyruvate when the metabolism is starving:
Pyruvate - CO2 –> can enter Krebs Cycle (Citric Acid Cycle)
Pyruvate can also be used in gluconeogensis to make sugars (glucose)
- Aliphatic
- Hydrophobic
Leucine
- Isobutyl group
- Aliphatic
- Non-polar Hydrophobic
Methionine
- Start Codon (AUG) on mRNA
- Thioether
- Aliphatic
- Non-polar Hydrophobic
Tryptophan
- Largest side chain / bulky
- Indole group
- Resonance
- Aromatic Stacking
- Aromatic
- Non-polar Hydrophobic
Serine
- Alcohol allows hydrogen bonding
- OH good for temporary bonding other groups
- Can (de)phosphorylate enzymes and proteins
- Aliphatic
- Polar Hydrophillic
Cysteine
- Thiol group
- Can create tertiary and quaternary stuctures
- Aliphatic
- Hydrophobic (slightly polar)
Cystine
2 Cysteine molecules are oxidized (lose hydrogens) to form a covalent disulfide bridge between them
Tyrosine
- Phenol
- Ionizable side chain
- Resonance with a stable conjugate base
- Aromatic
- Polar Hydrophobic
Asparagine
- Amide group
- 2 carbons in side chain
- Resonance (does not act as a base)
- Aliphatic
- Polar Hydrophillic
*Nitrogen storage for biosynthesis and a metabolism tie in through deamination (2x) will form an alpha-keto acid
Asparagine - NH2 –> Aspartate - NH3 –> Oxaloacetate (found in the Krebs cycle)
Glutamine
- Amide group
- 3 Carbons in side chain
- Resonance (does not act as a base)
- Aliphatic
- Polar Hydrophillic
*Nitrogen storage for biosynthesis and a metabolism tie in through deamination (2x) will form an alpha-keto acid
Glutamine- NH2 –> Glutamate- NH3 –> Alpha-Keto Glutarate (found in the Krebs cycle)
Aspartic Acid (Aspartate)
- Negative charge (found on inside of protein)
- Can form salt bridge ionic interactions
- Contribute to tertiary and quaternary structures
- Neurotransmitter (excitatory)
- Acidic
- Hydrophillic
**Aspartate @ physiological pH and Aspartic Acid when it contains an OH alcohol group
Glutamic Acid (Glutamate)
- Negative charge (found on inside of protein)
- Can for salt bridge ionic interactions
- Contribute to tertiary and quaternary structures
- Neurotransmitter (excitatory)
- Acidic
- Hydrophillic
**Glutamate @ physiological pH and Glutamic Acid when it contains an OH alcohol group
Lysine
- Positive charge (found on outside of protein)
- Also found on inside of channels (considered the outside of a protein)
- Basic
- Hydrophillic
Arginine
- Guanine group
- Positive charge (found on outside of protein)
- Can form salt bridges
- Conjugate acid of a basic amino acid
- Basic
- Hydrophillic
Histidine
- Imidiazole group
- At physiological pH it is in the buffer zone because it has a pka of about 6 (some will be charged and some will not be)
- Aromatic
- Basic
- Hydrophillic
Hydrophobic Amino Acids
- Glycine
- Alanine
- Valine
- Leucine
- Isoleucine
- Methionine
- Phenylalanine
- Tryptophan
- Proline
- Cysteine
- Tyrosine
Hydrophillic Amino Acids
- Serine
- Threonine
- Asparagine
- Glutamine
- Aspartate
- Glutamate
- Lysine
- Arginine
- Hystidine
Basic (+) Amino Acids
- Lysine
- Histidine
- Arginine
Acidic (-) Amino Acids
- Aspartate
- Glutamate
Aromatic Amino Acids
- Phenyalanine
- Tryptophan
- Tyrosine
