PROTEINS

D and L:

 Absolute
Proteins are not alien to you configuration
Hair and nails - made up of the protein alpha keratin  Based on
glyceraldehyde
Muscle proteins called actin and myosin enable body  Does not indicate
movement. the direction by
Blood – haemoglobin protein carries O2 to every parts of which the molecule
your body rotate plane
polarized light
Proteins: an overview

 Major constituent of most cells. (>50% dry weight)

 Very diverse molecules.
 Define what an organism is, what it looks like, how
it behaves, etc. (responsible for most phenotype).
 made up of the 20 standard amino acids

Basic Amino Acid Structure

Composed of:
Amino Acid Classification
 central carbon
 carboxylic acid  Alkyl/Aliphatic (Nonpolar)
group  Aromatic
 amino group  Sulfur-containing
 R group:  Polar, uncharged
o variable  Basic
o distinguishes amino acids and their  Acidic
properties Alkyl Amino Acids
Central carbon Alanine (Ala, A) - methyl-group
 α-carbon
 tetrahedral geometry
surrounded by 4
 different groups
 Chiral!
 enantiomers exist
 only L-isomer occurs
naturally

Leucine (Leu, L)
 Glycine (Gly, G) - only non-chiral amino acid

Isoleucine (Ile, I) - 2 chiral carbons

Sulfur Containing Amino Acids

Methionine (Met, M) – very hydrophobic

Proline (Pro, P) - cyclic “imino acid”

Cysteine (Cys, C) – sulfur in form of sulfhydryl, important in

disulfide linkages

Valine (Val, V) - think V!

Acids

 contain carboxyl groups (weaker acids than α-

carboxyl-group)
 negatively charged at physiological pH (therefore –
ate not –ic acids)

Aspartate (Asp, D)

Bases

 hydrophilic nitrogenous bases

 positively charged at physiological pH

Histidine (His, H) - imidazole ring protonated/ionized

Glutamate (Glu, E)

Lysine (Lys, K) - diamino acid, protonated at pH 7.0

 Tyrosine (Tyr, Y) - OH ionisable

Arginine (Arg, R) - guanidinium ion always protonated,

most basic amino acid

Tryptophan (Trp, W) - bicyclic indole ring

Aromatic Amino Acids

Alcohols
 All very hydrophobic
 All contain aromatic group  Polar side groups, hydrophilic in nature, can form
 Absorb UV at 280 nm hydrogen bonds
Phenylalanine (Phe, F) Serine (Ser, S) - looks like Ala w/ -OH
Threonine (Thr, T) - 2 chiral carbons Arginine Arg R (“aRginine”)
Asparagine Asn N (contains N)
Aspartate Asp D (“asparDic”)
Glutamate Glu E (“glutEmate”)
Glutamine Gln Q (“Q-tamine”)
Phenylalanine Phe F(“Fenylalanine”)
Tyrosine Tyr Y (“tYrosine”)

Protonic Equilibria of Amino Acids

 Exhibit acid-base properties due to their α-COOH

and α-NH2 groups
 Additional acidic/basic group may be present in the
Amides side chain
 Polar side groups, hydrophilic in nature, can form  pKas of amino acids are known
hydrogen bonds o α-COOH: pKa≈ 2
o α-NH3: pKa ≈ 9
Asparagine (Asn, N) - amide of D  Have characteristic titration curves

Glutamine (Gln, Q) - amide of E

Titration Curve of Glycine

Abbreviations and Symbols for Amino Acids

Similar Sounding Names

Amino Acids as Buffers