Biochemistry

Part 1
By Dr.M.Shams…………………………………………………………..01002200666
 Proteins chemistry

 Proteins are organic compounds of high molecular weight formed by a number of amino acids united by peptide linkage.
 Proteins contain C. H. O. S. N. and some of them contain P.
 The nitrogen content of protein represents about 16% i.e. every 100 gm protein contain 16 gm nitrogen.

Biochemical importance
1) Proteins serve as structural component of the cell.

i.e. All enzymes, antibodies and some hormones.

2) Certain amino acids are involved in transmission of nerve impulses like, glycine and glutamic acid.

3) Essential amino acids are necessary to support growth in infants and maintain health in adults.

4) Many compounds of biochemical importance are produced from protein metabolism

e.g. histamine and ɣ-amino butyrate.

Amino Acids

 Amino acids are structural units of proteins and obtained from them by hydrolysis.

 Naturally occurring amino acids are containing amino group and carboxyl group on the same carbon atom and represented by the

general formula:
 About 300 amino acids are present in nature, from which only 20 inter in

protein of living organisms.

 All amino acids are L-amino acids (amino group found on the left side).

Found in living systems, plant and animal. Found in the cell walls of bacteria.

Importance of amino acids

1) They serve as building block of proteins.
2) They act as precursors of:
a) Hormones: like thyroid hormones, adrenal cortical hormones and Melatonin.
b) Vitamins: like niacin.
c) Purines and pyrimidine.
d) Porphyrins.
 Classification of amino acids
I- Chemical classification II- Biological classification III- Metabolic classification
 According to the number of amino groups  According to whether amino acids are  According to whether amino acids are
and carboxyl groups in the amino acids essential or non-essential glucogenic or ketogenic.

I- Chemical classification
1-Neutral amino acids
a) Aliphatic amino acids

1. Glycine (-Amino acetic acid)

2. Alanine (-Amino propionic acid)

3. Valine (-Amino iso-valeric acid)

4. Leucine (-Amino isocaproic acid)

5. Isoleucine (-Amino β-methyl valeric acid)

b) Hydroxy amino acids

1. Serine (-Amino β-hydroxyl propionic acid)

2. Threonine (-Amino β-hydroxyl butyric acid).

c) Sulfur containing amino acids

1. Cysteine (-Amino β-thiol propionic acid)

2. Cystine → Formed from oxidation of two molecules of cysteine

3. Methionine ( -Amino β-thiol butyric acid)

d) Aromatic amino acids

1. Phenyl alanine ( -Amino β-phenyl propionic acid)

2. Tyrosine (-Amino β-parahydroxy phenyl propionic acid

3.Tryptophan (-Amino β-indol propionic acid).

e) Heterocyclic amino acids

1-Histidine (-Amino β-imidazole propionic acid).

2-Proline (-Pyrrolidine carboxylic acid)

3- Hydroxy proline.

N.B.

 Proline and hydroxyl proline are known as imino acids → characterized by the presence of imino group (NH)
since the amino nitrogen is a part of the ring structure.
 2- Acidic amino acids

1-Glutamic acid (-Amino glutaric acid)

2-Aspartic acid (-Amino succinic acid).

N.B.

 These acidic amino acids can occur in tissues in the form of amides
 e.g. glutamine and asparagine in which the last COOH group is converted into CO-NH2 and play a role in
detoxification of ammonia in brain tissues.
3- Basic amino acids

1- Arginine ( -Amino ơ-guanido valeric acid)

2-Lysine (-ε-diamino caproic acid)

3- Hydroxy lysine (-ε-diamino σ-hydroxyl caproic acid)

4-Ornithine (-ơ-diamino valeric acid).

This amino acid does not enter in the synthesis of protein and
present in the free form as intermediate product in urea
synthesis.

5-Citrulline → is produced also during urea synthesis.