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Amino Acids Properties and Structure

The document summarizes the properties and structures of the 20 standard amino acids that make up proteins. It groups the amino acids according to the chemical nature of their side chain groups and provides comments on each amino acid's side chain group and its role in protein structure and function. Key groups discussed include aliphatic, aromatic, acidic, basic, sulfur-containing and others.

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149 views2 pages

Amino Acids Properties and Structure

The document summarizes the properties and structures of the 20 standard amino acids that make up proteins. It groups the amino acids according to the chemical nature of their side chain groups and provides comments on each amino acid's side chain group and its role in protein structure and function. Key groups discussed include aliphatic, aromatic, acidic, basic, sulfur-containing and others.

Uploaded by

SHRIKANT
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Gurpreet Singh

M.Pharmacy(Pharmaceutics)
AMINO ACIDS: PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURE Guru Nanak Dev University
e-mail. [email protected]

Proteins are composed of 20 different amino acids which are


distinguished by their side-chain groups, designated as R (see figure at
right). The amino acids are grouped below according to the chemical
nature of their side-chain groups.

Name/Abbreviations R-group Comments


The lack of a side chain provides for the
Glycine Gly G -H greatest possible conformational
flexibility.
The aliphatic side-chain forms a cyclic
imino compound (entire amino acid is
Proline Pro P shown). This imposes rigid constraints on
the rotation around the backbone and has
significant affects on protein conformation.
Amino Acids with Aliphatic Side Chains
Alanine Ala A -CH3
Valine Val V These alkyl side-chain groups are
important for hydrophobic interactions and
Leucine Leu L provide for a variety of surfaces and
shapes.
Isoleucine Ile I
Amino Acids with Aromatic Side Chains

Phenylalanine Phe F
The aromatic groups are important for
Tyrosine Tyr Y hydrophobic interactions and may be
especially important for interacting with
other flat molecules.
Tryptophan Trp W

Amino Acid Alcohols


Serine Ser S -CH2OH The hydroxyl groups are weakly ionizable
(pKa~13) and participate as active groups
Threonine Thr T in some enyzmes.
Acidic Amino Acids
Aspartatic acid Asp D These side-chain groups are generally
negatively charged at neutral pH (pKa =
Glutamatic 4.3-4.7).
Glu E -CH2CH2CO2H
acid

66
Gurpreet Singh
M.Pharmacy(Pharmaceutics)
Guru Nanak Dev University
e-mail. [email protected]

Amides of the Acidic Amino Acids


Asparagine Asn N These side-chain groups do not ionize, but
are relatively polar.
Glutamine Gln Q -CH2CH2CONH2
Basic Amino Acids
The imidazole group participates in the
Histidine His H active site of many enzymes, as well as
binding metal ions.
Lysine Lys K -CH2CH2CH2CH2NH2
These side-chain groups are generally
Arginine Arg R positively charged at neutal pH (pKa >10).

Sulfur Containing Amino Acids


-CH2SH Cysteines participate in redox reactions
Cysteine Cys C -CH2S- and can form disulfide links between two
SCH2- residues (i.e., oxidized state).
Met is rather hydrophobic, but the
Methionine Met M -CH2CH2SCH3
thioether group is a potent nucleophile.
Other Abbreviations
Asp or Asn Asx B The amides are converted to the acids by the procedures used to
identify and quantify amino acid residues. Therefore they are
Glu or Gln Glx Z designated as either in such situations..
Any amino
Xaa X Used when the amino acid is unknown or does not matter.
acid

67

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