Amino Acids - The Building Blocks of Protein

Dr Imran Siddiqui

What are Proteins? Functions of Proteins

Proteins are chain of amino acids Proteins are the most abundant and functionally diverse molecules in living systems. Virtually every life process depends on proteins.

Enzymes and hormones Contractile proteins Bone Blood proteins

Amino Acids

Structure of the amino acids More than 300 different amino acids have been described in nature, Only twenty are commonly found as constituents of mammalian proteins. Each amino acid has a carboxyl group, an amino group, and a distinctive side chain ("R-group") bonded to the -carbon atom.

The Basic Block: Amino Acid

Sidechain R H + N H H Amino group H O Carboxyl group C C O-

zwitterion

The 20 amino acids

3-letter Ala Cys Asp Glu Phe Gly His Ile Lys Leu Amino acid Alanine Cysteine Aspartic Acid Glutamic Acid Phenylalanine Glycine Histidine Isoleucine Lysine Leucine 3-letter Met Asn Pro Gln Arg Ser Thr Val Trp Tyr Amino Acid Methionin Asparagine Proline Glutamine Arginine Serine Threonin Valine Tryptophan Tyrosine

D & L Forms of Amino Acids

A. Amino acids with nonpolar side chains

B. Amino acids with uncharged polar side chains

C. Amino acids with acidic side chains D. Amino acids with basic side chains

Peptide Bond

Animation

Summary

All proteins are polymers built up from 20 amino acids. Each amino acid shares a common main chain; the remaining atoms form sidechains, that can be hydrophobic, polar or charged. Nomenclature of Amino Acids Formation of Peptide Bonds