Protein Structure And Function Flashcards
Characteristics of Amino Acids
Characteristics of a peptide bond
- building blocks of proteins
- linear chains via covalent bonds (peptide)
- water is lost in process of building proteins
- partial double bond character
- no free rotation about the bond
- rotation of single bonds gives flexibility to proteins
Amino Acid Basic Facts
1) All amino acids found in proteins are alpha amino acids
2) amino and carboxylate groups are bounded to the alpha carbon
3) pH 7.4 –> -NH3+ and -COO-
Amino Acid Structure
- Each of the 20 amino acids except glycine is chiral and can exist as D or L stereoisomers (enantiomers)
- Vertebrates: amino acids are in the L form
Nonpolar R Group Amino Acids
Glycine (Gly) Alanine (Ala) Valine (Val) Leucine (Leu) Isoleucine (Ile) Proline (Pro) Phenylalanine (Phe) Tryptophan (Trp) Methionine (Met)
- found on protein interior
- do not accept or donate protons
- do not participate in hydrogen bonding or ionic bonds
Hydrophobic Interactions
Ala, Val, Leu, Ile –> cluster to stabilize proteins
Proline –> rigid conformation reduces polypeptide flexibility
–> proline is also the first amino acid in alpha helices; starts it off (beta sheets less frequent)
Glycine –> protein flexibility due to H R group
Polar Uncharged R group Amino Acids
Asparagine (Asn) Glutamine (Gln) Cysteine (Cys) Serine (Ser) Threonine (Thr) Tyrosine (Tyr)
- zero net charge at physiological pH
- hydrogen bonding with water
Cys & Tyr –> lose proton at high pH (basic pH)
Asn & Gln –> carbonyl and aside group participate in H bonding
Ser, Thr, Tyr –> polar OH group for H bonding and attachment for groups such as phosphate help with cell signaling
Asn, Ser, Thr –> sites of attachment for oligosaccharides in glycoproteins
Cysteine
- sulfur atoms can coordinate with certain metal ions and can be found at metal binding sites
- can be oxidized to form dimer thru disulfide bonds (important for stability)
Acidic Side Chains
-fully ionized at physiological pH
Aspartic Acid (Asp) Glutamic Acid (Glu)
Basic Side Chains
Lysine (Lys)
Arginine (Arg)
Histidine (His)
Lys and Arg fully proton acted at physiological pH
His is weakly basic (can be uncharged depending on environment) –> has the best buffering capacity at physiological pH
His also found in active sites of enzymes
Selenocysteine
Rare amino acid
Similar to cysteine but with an atom of Selenium in place of sulfur
Not coded directly by genetic code
Coded thru SECIS (Selenocysteine Insertion Sequence) and a UGA codon (in eukaryotes the 3’ untranslated region)
Not just floating around, specifically synthesized on special tRNA
Function: incorporate into nascent polypeptides
Stability of a Protein
- most important factor- sequence of amino acids*
1) Hydrogen Bonding
2) Van Der Waals Forces
3) Electrostatic attractions (ionic bonds can be either stabilizing or destabilizing)
4) Hydrophobic amino acids clump together (on the inside)
5) interactions between AA and AA-Environment
Proteins tend to fold into the conformation of lowest energy with the most hydrogen bonds
Primary Structure of Proteins
Sequence of Amino Acids in proteins –> determined by mRNA
Includes covalent bonds (peptide and disulfide)
Secondary Structure of Proteins- Alpha Helix
Recurring structural patterns
- 3.6 AA per turn of the helix
- forms spontaneously and is stabilized by hydrogen bonding
- H bonds b/w amide nitrogen and carbonyl carbon spaced 4 residues apart
- peptide bonds are parallel to the helix
- R group sticks out of the helix
AA that favor formation of Alpha helix (and do not favor)
Favor Ala Asp Glu Ile Leu Met
Do Not Favor
Proline –> steric constraints from R group
Glycine –> due to high conformational flexibility
[in large numbers] –> by electrostatic repulsion
Glu
Asp
His
Lys
Arg
Secondary Structure of Proteins- Beta Sheets
Composed of 2 or more regions of one polypeptide chain or 2 or more polypeptide chains
- each sheet contains 6+ AA residues
- R groups are above or below the plane of the beta sheet
- often depicted as arrows = blunt end is N terminus and pointed C terminus
-can be parallel or anti parallel
Secondary Structure of Proteins- Turns (loops/coils)
Regions that connect alpha helices and beta sheets
- Do not have repetitive structure
- located on protein surface –> contain polar and charged residues
Tertiary Structure of Proteins
Folding of the secondary structure onto itself
3D form
Interacting regions of proteins can be stabilized by the net effect of many weak interactions and disulfide bonds
Hydrophobic residues bury within proteins
Quaternary Structure of Proteins
Arrangement of 2 or more polypeptide chains
I.e.: Hemoglobin
Quarternary Structure of Proteins- Motifs
STRUCTURAL
Occur in tertiary and quaternary structures
Include multiple secondary structures
Has function but cannot work independently like a domain
I.e.: transcription factors contain a variety of motifs: Helix-turn helix Helix-loop helix Leucine zipper Zinc finger
Quarternary Structure of Proteins- Domains
FUNCTIONAL- Hold different functions
Part of the polypeptide chains that can fold stably and independently with respect to the entire protein
Proteins can have multiple domains (with different functions)
Have biological functions i.e. Can phosphorylate proteins
More like a sequence, not like a physical structure seen in motifs 0
Fibrous Proteins- FUNCTION
Structural Support
External Protection
Flexibility
Shape
Fibrous Proteins- EXAMPLES
Collagen
Alpha-Keratin
Silk
Fibrous Proteins- Overall Arrangement
Polypeptide strands arranges in sheets or strands
Fibrous Proteins- STRUCTURE
One form of secondary structure (either alpha or beta)
Simple tertiary structure
Fibrous Proteins- SOLUBILITY
Contain hydrophobic residues for the most part therefore insoluble