Amino Acids, Proteins, and Analytical Methods Flashcards
Amino acids may have a positive, negative, or neutral charges, depending on the ____
pH
Means that amino acids contain both acidic and basic groups
Amphoteric (zwitterion)
pH > 7.4, when a base is added to the amino acid resulting molecule has a ____ charge
Negative
pH = 7.4, internal transfer of a hydrogen ion from teh -COOH group the -NH2 group results in a ____ charge
Neutral
pH < 7.4, when an acid is added
Positive
Defined as the pH at which net charge is zero; i.e., there are equal numbers of positive and negative charges
Isoelectric point
If pH > pI
Amino acid has a negative charge
If pH < pI
Amino acid has a positive charge
Proteins act in vivo as ____ ____ due to their acid-base properties
mild buffer
Essential amino acids
Leucine, isoleucine, valine, methionine, tryptophan, phenylalanine, threonine, lysine
Formed when the alpha amino group of one amino acid is covalently linked w/ the alpha-carboxyl group of a second amino acid
Peptide bond
The formation of glucose from non-CHO sources, such as amino acids, glycerol, or fatty acids
Gluconeogenesis
Starting and ending products of gluconeogenesis
Starting: amino acids/glycerol/ fatty acids
Ending: glucose
The process of amino group removal or transfer to make different amino acids
Transamination
Starting and ending products of transamination (2 of them)
Starting: glutamic acid/oxaloacetate
Ending: alanine/aspartate
The removal of the amino group, forming toxic ammonia
Deamination
Starting and ending products of deamination
Starting: ammonia
Ending: urea
Organ in which the metabolic/catabolic pathways occur in the body
Liver
Occurs when the plasma levels of the amino acid are normal, but the renal reabsorptive mechanism is defective
Renal aminoaciduria
____ plasma levels and ____ urine levels of amino acids in renal aminoaciduria
normal; increased
Defect in renal tubular reabsorption of cystine, ornithine, lysine, and arginine; most common error of amino acid transport
Cystinuria
Three primary renal aminoacidurias
Cystinuria, Hartnup disease, and Fanconi syndrome
Prone to renal calculi of cystine; cystine crystals on urine microscopic
Lab findings in cystinuria
Increased urinary excretion of neutral monocarboxylic amino acids
Hartnup disease
Patients have a nicotinamide (vit B) deficiency, so they can have pellagra (red, scaly rash), plus neurological muscular abnormalities
Clinical features of Hartnup disease
Renal dysfunction of the proximal convoluted tubule
Fanconi Syndrome
Polyuria, dehydration, hypokalemia, acidosis, osteomalacia, cannot reabsorb necessary nutrients, bowing of the legs, low weight/height, abdominal distention, enlargement in wrist and ankle joints all indicate ____
Clinical features of Fanconi syndrome
Plasma level of one or more amino acids exceeds the renal threshold
Overflow aminoaciduria
____ plasma levels and ____ urine levels of amino acids in overal aminoaciduria
increased; increased
Due to a deficiency or absence of phenylalanine hydroxylase enzyme
Phenylketonuria (PKU)
Spastic movements and seizures, sever mental retardation if untreated, eczema, feeding difficulties, vomiting, delayed mental/social development, hypopigmentation, Increased serum phenylalanine, Decreased serum tyrosine, increased urine phenylpyruvic acid
Clinical features of PKU
Due to fumarylacetoacetase deficiency
Type I tyrosinemia
Causes cirrhosis and renal damage leading to Fanconi syndrome, elevated serum and urine tyrosine levels, elevated methionine in serum
Clinical features of Type I tyrosinemia
Due to tyrosine aminotransferase deficiency
Type II tyrosinemia
Skin lesions, ocular abnormalities (corneal dystrophy), elevated serum and urine levels of tyrosine, tyrosine crystals in urine, serium methionine NOT increased
Clinical features of type II tyrosinemia
Due to 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase deficiency
Type III tyrosinemia
Mild mental retardation, seizures, periodic loss of balance and coordination, increased serum tyrosine
Type III tyrosinemia
Caused by a defect in the enzyme homogentisic acid oxidase
Alkaptonuria
Homogentisic acid increases in serum and urine, urine turns brown/black when exposed to light and air or when alkali is added, ocular ochronosis
Clinical features of alkaptonuria
Most commonly caused by a defect of CBS (cystathionine beta synthase)
Homocystinuria
Both methionine and homocystine are increased in serum and urine, ocular (lens displacement) and skeletal abnormalities (knock knee), cardiovascular problems (thromboli due to sticky platelets), pigeon chest
Clinical features of homocystinuria
Due to a defect in the enzyme alpha-ketoacid decarboxylase; also known as branched chain aminoaciduria due to excretion of the branched chain amino acids valine, leucine, and isoleucine
Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD)
Hypoglycemia, ketacidosis (in blood and urine), lethargy, poor appetite, vomiting, convulsions, detected by the 11th day of life, maple syrup odor, increased ketone bodies
Clinical features of MSUD
Amino acids can be measured using 3 screening methods
Thin layer chromatography (TLC), photometric screening test, and Guthrie test
3 quantitative tests for the presence of aminoacidurias
Ion exchange chromatography, gas liquid chromatography (GLC), and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
Four protein structures
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
Quaternary
Specific sequence of amino acids
Primary structure
Uniting of several protein units or a protein plus another structure
Quaternary structure
Folding of a chain into a compact 3D conformation w/ a specific shape; confers specific biological properties
Tertiary structure
Recurring spatial arrangement of amino acids in 3D space
Secondary structure
Protein denaturation disrupts the bonds that hold ____, ____, and ____ structures together
Secondary, tertiary, and quaternary
What is happening when proteins lose their biological function?
Denaturation
4 processes that can denature proteins
- Extreme temperatures
- pH change
- Detergents, metals, organic solvents
- Mechanical mixing
8 biological functions of proteins
- Transport
- Cellular receptors
- Catalysis
- Structure
- Nutrition
- Maintenance of oncotic pressure
- Host defense
- Hormonal
Definition of “acute phase reactant” (APR)
Proteins that increase or decrease in response to an acute phase (inflammation, infection, myocardial infarction, tumor, surgery, trauma, etc.)
List 3 negative APRs
Transthyretin (prealbumin), albumin, transferrin
What is the importance of the different solubility characteristics of albumin and globulins?
Albumin is water-soluble
Globulins are water-insoluble
3 examples of fibrous proteins
- Collagen
- Elasin
- Keratin
Definition of nitrogen balance
Equals an equilibrium b/w intake and output
6 examples of conjugated proteins
- Nucleoproteins
- Mucoproteins
- Glycoproteins
- Lipoproteins
- Metalloproteins
- Phosphoproteins