MGD 1-3 Flashcards
Describe the structure of an amino acid
chiral carbon (Ca) attached to H, NH3+. COO-, R
R group determines AA properties
L-isomer in humans (left)
what are polar bonds in AA?
C=O, N-H, S-H
non polar bonds in AA?
C-H, C-S
what types of bonds are intermolecular bonds?
hydrophobic (come together to exclude water)
hydrogen
van der Waals
ionic
what are the different classifications of AA?
polar, uncharged (anything with additional charge on top of AA)
polar, charged (has OH group - polar)
non-polar AA (mainly C-H bonds attached to AA)
What are zwitterions?
a molecule which contains both a positive and negative group, but holds no net charge i.e. AA in neutral state
when does a zwitterion exist?
at a pH equivalent to the isoelectric point (same as it’s pH)
what is pKa?
1/2 dissociation constant
when is a molecule protonated in terms of pH and pKa
pH
When is a molecule deprotonated in terms of pH and pKa
pH > pKa = net negative charge
pH higher than 1/2 dissociation constant (low dissociation constant - H+ don’t come off easily - alkali)
how to you work out pH and or [H+] when you have 1 value and not the other?
pH = -log[H+] [H+] = 10^(-pH)
what is the primary sequence of AA?
1 basic polypeptide chain of AA - peptide bond (covalent)
what is secondary structure of AA?
when the helix forms through hydrogen bonds - right handed (local spatial arrangement)
what is tertiary structure of AA?
3D folding of the polypeptide chain - including ionic bond, ionic, H-bonds, Van der Waals, hydrophobic
what is quaternary structure of AA?
multiple peptide chains - including non-haem groups coming together (3D structure): ionic, covalent (disulphide), H, van der Waals, hydrophobic bonds
what forms the structure of a a-helix?
hydrogen bonding between C=O and N-H groups stabilise the polypeptide into a helical shape
what are helix breakers and formers?
pro and gly break
ala and leu form
what are key facts (numbers) about a-helix?
3.6AA per turn
0.54nm pitch (steepness of helix)
right handed helix
what forms a ß-sheet and how does it differ from a-helix?
hydrogen bonding between C=O and N-H groups give rise to fully extended parallel or anti-parallel sheets
what are key facts about ß-sheet?
R groups alternate above and below chain
0.35nm between amino acids
which rotation are peptide bonds in? why?
in trans formation as it will clash in R formation