Biochemistry Flashcards
Structure of an amino acid
Amino group (NH2), alpha carbon, hydrogen, carboxylic acid group (COOH), variable side chain (R)
Functional groups of an amino acid
An amine group (-NH2) and a carboxylic acid acid (COOH)
How do naturally occurring amino acids differ
The R group
Which amino acid isn’t optically active
Glycine
Why are amino acids optically active
They have a chiral carbon
Which which optical isomer naturally occurs and what is the effect on plane polarised light
L-isomer rotates plane polarised light anti-clockwise (the left)
Can amino acid acids act as a base or an acid
Both an acid and a base
Does an amino acid act as an acid or a base in a solution of acid
Base
Does an amino acid act as an acid or a base in a solution of base
Acid
Does an amino acid act as an acid or a base in a solution of isoelectric pH
Zwitterion so both
Which part of an amino acid accepts a proton
The lone pair on the NH2
Which part of the amino acid donates a proton
Carboxylic acid
What is the isoelectric point
pH at which is has no net charge. Midway between two pKa of its two functional groups
Which amino acid has the variable group H
Glycine
Charge on an amino acid in a acidic solution
Positive
Are cations positive or negative
Positive