PROTEIN CHEMISTRY

Precipitation of Proteins
1. By heat 2. By heavy 3. By strong 4. By alkaloidal 5. By alcohol
metal salts mineral acids reagents
 Precipitation of Proteins
1. By heat 2. By heavy 3. By strong 4. By alkaloidal 5. By alcohol
metal salts mineral acids reagents
 Color Reaction
• Biuret Test – A chemical test used for detecting the presence of
peptides.
• Millon’s Test – Millon’s reagent is an analytical reagent used to detect
the presence of soluble proteins.
• Hopkin’s Cole Test – A chemical test used for detecting the presence or
tryptophan in proteins.
• Molisch Test – A chemical test used for detecting the presence of
carbohydrates.
• Reduces Sulfur Test – Proteins containing sulfur in cysteine and cysteine
give a black deposit of lead sulfide when heated with lead acetate in
alkaline medium.
 Color Reactions
1. Biuret test 2. Millon’s test 3. Hopkin’s Cole 4. Molisch test 5. Reduce Sulfur
test test
 Color Reactions
1. Biuret test 2. Millon’s test 3. Hopkin’s Cole 4. Molisch test 5. Reduce Sulfur
test test
Acidity and Basicity

1. Glycine (Non - polar)

2. Arginine (Basic)
3. Histidine (Basic)
4. Alanine (Non - polar)
5. Lysine (Basic)
6. Aspartic acid (Acidic)
 Questions
1. What are peptides? Do all proteins possess peptide bonds? Why do all
proteins respond to Biuret test?
- a compound consisting of two or more amino acids linked in a chain, the
carboxyl group of each acid being joined to the amino group of the next
by a bond of the type -OC-NH-.
- All proteins possess peptide bonds.
- Biuret test is used for detecting the presence of peptide bonds. The biuret
test relies on the reaction between copper(II) ions and peptide bonds in
an alkaline solution. A violet color indicates the presence of proteins.
Proteins give a strong biuret reaction because they contain a large
number of peptide bonds.
 Questions
2. What is meant by denaturation of proteins? Give examples of protein
denaturing agent?
- Denaturation of proteins involves the disruption and possible destruction of
both the secondary and tertiary structures. Since denaturation reactions
are not strong enough to break the peptide bonds, the primary structure
(sequence of amino acids) remains the same after a denaturation
process.
- Physical agents: Heat, surface action, ultraviolet light, ultrasound and high
pressure.
- Chemical agents: Acids, alkalis, heavy metal salts, urea, ethanol,
guanidine detergents.
 Questions
3. Why is egg white used as an antidote for lead and mercurial
poisoning?
- The common first aid antidote for swallowing a heavy-metal poison is to
eat raw egg because the poison then acts on the protein of the egg
rather than on the protein sites and tissues of the mouth, esophagus
and stomach. Vomiting can be induced to expel the poison that has
combined with the egg.
4. Why is Silver nitrate used in cauterization of wound?
- Silver nitrate used in cauterization of wound because it has anti-
microbial properties. Silver nitrate cauterizes, burns, on a shallow wound.
It can stop a tiny vessels from bleeding and takes up a week to heal.
 Questions
5. Give the rationale for the following:
a. The use of Picric acid in burns
- Picric acid is used to treat burns because it is an astringent and an antiseptic.
As an astringent it causes contraction of the skin cells surrounding the wound
thus encouraging healing. Its antiseptic properties prevent the wound from
becoming infected which further encourages healing.
b. The used of Tannic acid in diarrhea
- Tannic acid used in diarrhea because of its astringency property. It slow the
peristaltic movements of the gastrointestinal tracts. It is also a natural
bacteriostatic agent. Tannic acid is full of tannins that depending of the
botanicals origin change molecules.