Unit 1: Amino Acids Flashcards
What determines the structure of a protein?
The sequence of amino acids
How are amino acids held together?
Amino acids are linked by peptide bonds to form polypeptides.
What does a peptide bond look like between two amino acids?
it is always the bond between the central carbon of one amino acid and the nitrogen atom of the other amino acid.
How do amino acids differentiate from each other?
All amino acids have the same basic structure but differ only in the R group that’s present.
What are the 4 categories of R groups amino acids are split into?
Polar
Hydrophobic
Acidic (negatively charged)
Basic (positively charged)
what is the primary structure of a protein?
The primary structure is the sequence in
which the amino acids are synthesised into
the polypeptide
What is the type of bonding used in the primary structure?
Peptide bonds are used to link amino acids together to form the polypeptide
What are the three types of secondary structure in a protein?
Alpha helix
Beta sheets
Turns
What type of bonding is present in the secondary structure?
Hydrogen bonding
How is the tertiary structure formed?
The polypeptide folds into a tertiary structure
This conformation is stabilised by interactions
between R groups: hydrophobic interactions;
ionic bonds; London dispersion forces;
hydrogen bonds; disulfide bridges
How does the quaternary structure exist?
Quaternary structure exists in proteins with
two or more connected polypeptide subunits
Quaternary structure describes the spatial
arrangement of the subunits.
What is a prosthetic group?
A prosthetic group is a non-protein unit tightly
bound to a protein and necessary for its
function.
