Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Structure of a typical L-alpha-amino acid in the "neutral" form. Amino acids are organic compounds that contain both amino and carboxylic acid functional groups. [1] Although over 500 amino acids exist in nature, by far the most important are the 22 α-amino acids incorporated into proteins. [2]
In muscle and other tissues that degrade amino acids for fuel, amino groups are collected in the form of glutamate by transamination. Glutamate can then transfer its amino group to pyruvate, a product of muscle glycolysis, through the action of alanine aminotransferase, forming alanine and α-ketoglutarate. The alanine enters the bloodstream ...
The two ends of the polypeptide chain are referred to as the carboxyl terminus (C-terminus) and the amino terminus (N-terminus) based on the nature of the free group on each extremity. Counting of residues always starts at the N-terminal end (NH 2 -group), which is the end where the amino group is not involved in a peptide bond.
Either a three letter code or single letter code can be used to represent the 22 naturally encoded amino acids, as well as mixtures or ambiguous amino acids (similar to nucleic acid notation). [1] [2] [3] Peptides can be directly sequenced, or inferred from DNA sequences. Large sequence databases now exist that collate known protein sequences.
An alpha-helix with hydrogen bonds (yellow dots) The α-helix is the most abundant type of secondary structure in proteins. The α-helix has 3.6 amino acids per turn with an H-bond formed between every fourth residue; the average length is 10 amino acids (3 turns) or 10 Å but varies from 5 to 40 (1.5 to 11 turns).
All proteinogenic amino acids have a common structure where an α-carbon is bonded to an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a variable side chain. Only proline differs from this basic structure as its side chain is cyclical, bonding to the amino group, limiting protein chain flexibility. [34]
Lysine ball and stick model spinning. Lysine (symbol Lys or K) [2] is an α-amino acid that is a precursor to many proteins.Lysine contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated −NH + 3 form when the lysine is dissolved in water at physiological pH), an α-carboxylic acid group (which is in the deprotonated −COO − form when the lysine is dissolved in water at physiological pH ...
The two joined amino acids are called a dipeptide. The amide bond is synthesized when the carboxyl group of one amino acid molecule reacts with the amino group of the other amino acid molecule, causing the release of a molecule of water (H 2 O), hence the process is a dehydration synthesis reaction. The dehydration condensation of two amino ...