Amino Acids Example Questions

Question 1

The side chain of this amino acid usually forms a covalent bond with the N atom in the peptide backbone

Question 2

This amino acid is an amide of aspartic acid

Answer 2

Asparagine (Asn, N)

Question 3

Gln

Answer 3

Glutamine (Q)

Question 4

This amino acid contains a sulfur atom in the side chain but “acts” like other aliphatic amino acids

Answer 4

Methionine (M, Met)

Question 5

This amino acid is ideal for tight and limited spacing

Answer 5

glycine

Question 6

This amino acid can be phosphorylated by kinase. name all of them.

Answer 6

Tyrosine (Y, Tyr)
Serine (S, Ser)
Threonine (T, Thr)

Question 7

This amino acid has an ionizable side chain with a pKa close to physiological pH

Answer 7

Histidine (His, H)

Question 8

This amino acid contains a phenyl ring but can, nevertheless, be classified as a polar amino acid

Answer 8

tyrosine

Question 9

This amino acid is commonly used to link proteins together or to link two different regions of the same protein

Question 10

This amino acid contains a negatively charged side chain at neutral pH

Question 11

These non-polar amino acids are isomers of each other

Answer 11

Leucine (Leu, L)
Isoleucine (Ile, I)

Question 12

Asn

Answer 12

Asparagine (N)

Question 13

You suspect that a particular amino acid plays a critical role in the active site of an
enzyme. To test your hypothesis, you replace (substitute) the amino acid of interest (Leu) with another amino acid.

In order to maintain the overall structure of the protein, your substitute amino needs to have similar biochemical properties. In other words, you need to make a conservative substitution.

Which amino will you choose as the replacement for leucine?

Question 14

This hydrophobic amino acid contains an indole ring fused to a methyl group

Answer 14

Tryptophan (W, Trp)

Question 15

asparagine is to aspartic acid as glutamine is to ______________.

Answer 15

glutamic acid

Question 16

This uncharged, polar amino acid contains a benzene ring.

Question 17

This aromatic amino acid is typically classified as a polar amino acid.