Topic 3 - Proteins Flashcards
(90 cards)
Which amino acids have non-polar side chains?
- Glycine
- Alanine
- Valine
- Leucine
- Isoleucine
- Methionine
- Phenylalanine
- Tryptophan
- Proline
Which amino acids have polar side chains?
- Serine
- Threonine
- Cysteine
- Tyrosine
- Asparagine
- Glutamine
Which amino acids have electrically charged side chains?
ACIDIC - Aspartate, Glutamate
BASIC - Lysine, Arginine, Histidine
Which amino acids are acidic?
Aspartate
Glutamate
Which amino acids are basic?
Lysine
Arginine
Histidine
What is the charge of a histidine molecule at pH 7?
Mainly uncharged
What is the pKa?
the pH at which a group is 50% ionised
What happens to histidines group when pH is below pKa?
Group will have H attached
What happens to histidines group when pH is above pKa?
Group will lose H+
What are the levels of structure in a polypeptide chain?
- Amino acid sequence (primary)
- Local spatial arrangements of amino acids in the peptide chain (secondary)
- Organisation of the primary and secondary structures into the 3D protein shape (tertiary)
- Arrangement of different subunits in a protein (quaternary)
What is the primary structure of a ppt chain?
Amino acid sequence as coded my mRNA
What is the secondary structure of a ppt chain?
Local spatial arrangements of amino acids in the peptide chain
(Alpha helix or beta pleated sheet)
What is the tertiary structure of a ppt chain?
Organisation of the primary and secondary structures into the 3D protein shape
(Di-sulfide bridges, Hydrophobic interactions, Hydrogen bonding, Ionic bonding)
What is the quaternary structure of a ppt chain?
Arrangement of different subunits in a protein (2+ ppt chains in one protein)
What is an alpha helix?
In an α helix, the carbonyl (C=O) of one amino acid is hydrogen bonded to the amino H (N-H) of an amino acid that is four down the chain. (E.g., the carbonyl of amino acid 1 would form a hydrogen bond to the N-H of amino acid 5.) This pattern of bonding pulls the polypeptide chain into a helical structure that resembles a curled ribbon, with each turn of the helix containing 3.6 amino acids. The R groups of the amino acids stick outward from the α helix, where they are free to interact.
What is a beta pleated sheet?
In a β pleated sheet, two or more segments of a polypeptide chain line up next to each other, forming a sheet-like structure held together by hydrogen bonds. The hydrogen bonds form between carbonyl and amino groups of backbone, while the R groups extend above and below the plane of the sheet. The strands of a β pleated sheet may be parallel, pointing in the same direction (meaning that their N- and C-termini match up), or antiparallel, pointing in opposite directions.
Which forces stabilise tertiary and quaternary protein structure?
- Electrostatic interactions
- Van der Waals forces (dipoles)
- H-bonds
- Burial of hydrophobic residues (hydrophobic interactions)
- Disulphide bonds
What does the charge of a protein depend on?
pI and pH
What is pI?
The isoelectric point (pI) is the pH of a solution at which the net charge of a protein becomes zero. At solution pH that is above the pI, the surface of the protein is predominantly negatively charged, and therefore like-charged molecules will exhibit repulsive forces.
Low pH?
High H+ (as acidic), positive overall charge
High pH?
Low H+ (basic), negative overall charge
Physiological pH?
Overall charge of ppt chain depends on pI of protein
What is tetany?
A condition marked by intermittent muscular spasms, caused by malfunction of the parathyroid glands and a consequent deficiency of calcium
Which equilibrium controls blood pH?
CO2 + H2O <> H2CO3 <> H+ + HCO3-