Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

MCAT Biochem Review > Chapter 1: Amino Acids, Peptides & Proteins > Flashcards

Chapter 1: Amino Acids, Peptides & Proteins Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
MCAT flashcards
1
Q

What components do all amino acids share?

A

A amino group, a carboxyl group, and an R group

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Define proteinogenic amino acids

A

The 20 alpha-amino acids that are encoded by the human genetic code

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Which amino acids are chiral?

A

All except for glycine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Which of the chiral amino acids have an (S) absolute configuration

A

All chiral AAs (all but glycine) except for cysteine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for Alanine

A

Ala

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for Arginine

A

Arg

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for Asparagine

A

Asn

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for aspartic acid / aspartate

A

Asp

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for cysteine

A

Cys

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for glutamic acid / glutamate

A

Glu

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for glutamine

A

Gln

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for glycine

A

Gly

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for Histadine

A

His

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for Isoleucine

A

Ile

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for Leucine

A

Leu

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for lysine

A

Lys

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for Methionine

A

Met

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for phenylalanine

A

Phe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for proline

A

Pro

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for serine

A

Ser

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for threonine

A

Thr

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for tryptophan

A

Trp

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for tyrosine

A

Tyr

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Three-letter abbreviation for valine

A

Val

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

One-letter abbreviation for alanine

A

A

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

One-letter abbreviation for arginine

A

R

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

One-letter abbreviation for asparagine

A

N

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

One-letter abbreviation for aspartic acid / aspartate

A

D

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

One-letter abbreviation for cysteine

A

C

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

One-letter abbreviation for glutamic acid / glutamate

A

E

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

One-letter abbreviation for glutamine

A

Q

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

One-letter abbreviation for glycine

A

G

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

One-letter abbreviation for histadine

A

H

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

One-letter abbreviation for isoleucine

A

I

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

One-letter abbreviation for leucine

A

L

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

One-letter abbreviation for lysine

A

K

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

One-letter abbreviation for methionine

A

M

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

One-letter abbreviation for phenylalanine

A

F

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

One-letter abbreviation for proline

A

P

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

One-letter abbreviation for serine

A

S

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

One-letter abbreviation for threonine

A

T

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

One-letter abbreviation for tryptophan

A

W

43
Q

One-letter abbreviation for tyrosine

A

Y

44
Q

One-letter abbreviation for valine

A

V

45
Q

Amino acid category for glycine

A

Non-polar, non-aromatic

46
Q

Amino acid category for alanine

A

Non-polar, non-aromatic

47
Q

Amino acid category for valine

A

Non-polar, non-aromatic

48
Q

Amino acid category for leucine

A

Non-polar, non-aromatic

49
Q

Amino acid category for isoleucine

A

Non-polar, non-aromatic

50
Q

Amino acid category for methionine

A

Non-polar, non-aromatic

51
Q

Amino acid category for proline

A

Non-polar, non-aromatic

52
Q

Amino acid category for tryptophan

A

Aromatic

53
Q

Amino acid category for phenylalanine

A

Aromatic

54
Q

Amino acid category for tyrosine

A

Aromatic

55
Q

Amino acid category for serine

A

Polar

56
Q

Amino acid category for threonine

A

Polar

57
Q

Amino acid category for asparagine

A

Polar

58
Q

Amino acid category for glutamine

A

Polar

59
Q

Amino acid category for cysteine

A

Polar

60
Q

Amino acid category for aspartate

A

Acidic/negatively charged

61
Q

Amino acid category for glutamate

A

Acidic / negatively charged

62
Q

Amino acid category for arginine

A

Basic / positively charged

63
Q

Amino acid category for lysine

A

Basic / positively charged

64
Q

Amino acid category for histidine

A

Basic / positively charged

65
Q

Define amphoteric species

A

Something that can either accept a proton or donate a proton, depending on the pH of their environment.

66
Q

What makes amino acids amphoteric species?

A

They have both an acidic carboxylic acid group and a basic amino group

67
Q

What is the pKa of a group?

A

The pH at which, on average, half of the molecules of a species are deprotonated

68
Q

If pH < pKa then….

A

The majority of species are protonated

69
Q

If pH > pKa then….

A

The majority of species are deprotonated

70
Q

What is a zwitterion?

A

A molecule with both a positive and negative ion; dipolar ions

71
Q

Which amino acids have ionizable side-chains? (7)

A

histidine, arginine, lysine, aspartate (aspartic acid), glutamate (glutamic acid), cysteine, tyrosine

72
Q

For which amino acids with ionizable side chains do you calculate PI using the larger two pKa values?

A

histidine, arginine, lysine

73
Q

For which amino acids with ionizable side chains do you calculate PI using the smaller two pKa values?

A

aspartate/aspartic acid, glutamate/glutamic acid, cysteine, and tyrosine

74
Q

Amino acids with acidic side chains have pI values well _______ 6

A

below

75
Q

Amino acids with basic side chains have pI values well __________ 6

A

above

76
Q

At very acidic pH values, amino acids tend to be _________ly charged

A

Positively charged

77
Q

At very basic pH values, amino acids tend to be _________ly charged

A

negatively charged

78
Q

The surface of a protein tends to be rich in amino aicds with ________ ________ __________

A

Charged side chains

79
Q

Strongly hydrophobic amino aicds tend to be found where?

A

In the interior of proteins

80
Q

Residues are another name for:

A

Amino acid subunits

81
Q

What are dipeptides made of?

A

Two amino acid residues

82
Q

What are tripeptides made of?

A

Three amino acid residues

83
Q

What does the term oligopeptides refer to?

A

Relatively small peptides, up to about 20 residues

84
Q

What does the term polypeptides refer to?

A

Relatively larger peptides, with chains longer than about 20 residues

85
Q

Define an electrophile

A

Any molecule, ion or atom that is in some manner deficient in electrons; it accepts a pair of electrons to form a new bond

86
Q

Define a nucleophile

A

Any molecule, ion or atom, that has lone electrons to donate; tends to be negatively charged or neutral with an extra pair of electrons

87
Q

Primary structure of proteins is stabilized by what?

A

The covalent peptide bonds between two adjacent amino acids

88
Q

alpha-helices coil in what direction?

A

Counter clockwise

89
Q

What bond structures stabilize alpha-helices?

A

intramolecular hydrogen bonds between a carbonyl oxygen and an amide hydrogen four residues down the peptide chain

90
Q

What direction do the side chains point in an alpha-helix structure?

A

Away from the helix core

91
Q

Two main shapes of proteins

A

Fibrous: long sheets or strands
Globular: spherical

92
Q

Define molten globules

A

The intermediate states as a protein is forming its proper 3D structure

93
Q

Define denaturation

A

When a protein loses its tertiary structure

94
Q

Define conjugated proteins

A

Quaternary proteins that derive part of their function from covalently attached molecules called prostetic groups

95
Q

Lipoproteins, glycoproteins, and nucleoproteins are all examples of what?

A

Conjugated proteins

96
Q

In and L amino acid fischer projection, which group is positioned on the left?

A

The amino group

97
Q

The stereochemistry of the alpha-carbon for all chiral aa’s in eukaryotes is (L or D?) and all have a (R or S?) configuration, except for ______?

A

L; S; cysteine

98
Q

What are the non-polar, non-aromatic amino acids? (7)

A

glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, proline

99
Q

What are the aromatic amino acids? (3)

A

tryptophan, phenylalanine, tyrosine

100
Q

What are the polar amino acids? (5)

A

serine, threonine, asparagine, glutamine, cysteine

101
Q

What are the acidic (negatively charged) amino acids? (2)

A

aspartate, glutamate

102
Q

What are the basic (positively charged) amino acids? (3)

A

lysine, arginine, histidine

103
Q

pKa of amino group

A

around 9

104
Q

pKa of carboxyl group

A

around 2

MCAT Biochem Review (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions