Protein Structure Flashcards
What are the two common covalent bonds between amino acids?
peptide bonds and disulfide bonds
What are peptide bonds?
link amino acids together in a polypeptide
What are disulfide bridges?
between thiols in cysteine R-groups
What is a peptide bond formed between?
carboxyl group of one amino acid to the alpha-amino group of another
What is the backbone of the polypeptide?
N-C-C-N-C-C pattern
What is an individual amino acid called in a polypeptide chain?
residue
Which terminus is always written first in a polypeptide? Which is written last?
first = amino-terminal
last = carboxy terminal
What is proteolysis?
hydrolysis of a protein by another protein
What is the enzyme that performs proteolysis?
protease or proteolytic enzyme
What role does a disulfide bridge play?
stabilizing the tertiary structure
What does it mean for a protein to be denatured?
disruption of a proteins shape without breaking peptide bonds
How can proteins be denatured?
urea, extreme temperatures, extreme pH, and changes in tonicity
What is primary structure of protein folding also known as?
sequence
What bond determines the primary structure of protein folding?
peptide bond
What determines the secondary structure of protein folding?
hydrogen bonds between the NH and CO backbones of polypeptides
What are the two motifs that can be formed during secondary structure of protein folding?
alpha helix
beta pleated sheet
What is the tertiary structure of protein folding?
interactions of R-groups with each other and with the solvent
What forces stabilize both tertiary and quaternary structure of protein folding?
van der Waals
hydrogen bonds
disulfide bonds
electrostatic interactions
What is the quaternary structure of protein folding?
subunits interaction with other subunits
