Topic 2 - Proteins and amino acids Flashcards
1
Q
What are the acidic amino acids at physiological pH?
A
- aspartate
- glutamate
2
Q
What are the basic amino acids at physiological pH?
A
- lysine
- arginine
- histidine
3
Q
What state will the amino acid be in if the pH = pKa?
A
- zwitterion (isoelectric point)
4
Q
What state will the amino acid be in if the pH > pKa?
A
- basic
- deprotonated
- negative
5
Q
What state will the amino acid be in if the pH < pKa?
A
- acidic
- protonated
- positive
6
Q
What are the two main things to consider when swapping one amino acid for another?
A
- chemical properties (overall charge)
- size of R group
7
Q
How can changing one amino acid in the primary structure of a protein (enzyme) be potentially clinically dangerous?
A
- if the amino acid change affects an active site forming region of the protein changing the shape of it, substrate wont then bind, that’s a real problem
