Amino Acids

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Last updated 2:00 AM on 1/12/26
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20 Terms

1
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Glycine

  • Side chain = H

  • Smallest amino acid

  • Only achiral amino acid

  • Very flexible; turns/loops


<ul><li><p>Side chain = H</p></li><li><p>Smallest amino acid</p></li><li><p><strong>Only achiral amino acid</strong></p></li><li><p>Very flexible; turns/loops</p></li></ul><p></p>
2
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Alanine

  • Side chain = CH₃

  • Nonpolar, hydrophobic

  • Strong α-helix former


<ul><li><p>Side chain = CH₃</p></li><li><p>Nonpolar, hydrophobic</p></li><li><p>Strong α-helix former</p></li></ul><p></p>
3
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Valine

  • Branched side chain

  • Nonpolar, hydrophobic

  • BCAA

  • Protein core


<ul><li><p>Branched side chain</p></li><li><p>Nonpolar, hydrophobic</p></li><li><p><strong>BCAA</strong></p></li><li><p>Protein core</p></li></ul><p></p>
4
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Leucine

  • Longer branched side chain

  • Very hydrophobic

  • BCAA

  • α-helix stabilizer


<ul><li><p>Longer branched side chain</p></li><li><p>Very hydrophobic</p></li><li><p><strong>BCAA</strong></p></li><li><p>α-helix stabilizer</p></li></ul><p></p>
5
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Isoleucine

  • Branched, asymmetric side chain

  • Very hydrophobic

  • BCAA

  • Two chiral centers


<ul><li><p>Branched, asymmetric side chain</p></li><li><p>Very hydrophobic</p></li><li><p><strong>BCAA</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Two chiral centers</strong></p></li></ul><p></p>
6
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Methionine

  • Sulfur-containing

  • Nonpolar


<ul><li><p>Sulfur-containing</p></li><li><p>Nonpolar</p></li></ul><p></p>
7
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Proline

  • Cyclic side chain

  • Rigid structure

  • Helix breaker

  • Turns/loops


<ul><li><p>Cyclic side chain</p></li><li><p>Rigid structure</p></li><li><p><strong>Helix breaker</strong></p></li><li><p>Turns/loops</p></li></ul><p></p>
8
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Phenylalanine

  • Aromatic benzene ring

  • Nonpolar, hydrophobic

  • Protein core


<ul><li><p>Aromatic benzene ring</p></li><li><p>Nonpolar, hydrophobic</p></li><li><p>Protein core</p></li></ul><p></p>
9
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Tyrosine

  • Aromatic + hydroxyl

  • Polar, uncharged

  • Phosphorylation site


<ul><li><p>Aromatic + hydroxyl</p></li><li><p>Polar, uncharged</p></li><li><p><strong>Phosphorylation site</strong></p></li></ul><p></p>
10
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Tryptophan

  • Indole (two fused rings)

  • Largest amino acid

  • Strongest UV absorber


<ul><li><p>Indole (two fused rings)</p></li><li><p>Largest amino acid</p></li><li><p><strong>Strongest UV absorber</strong></p></li></ul><p></p>
11
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Serine

  • Hydroxyl side chain

  • Polar, uncharged

  • Phosphorylation site


<ul><li><p>Hydroxyl side chain</p></li><li><p>Polar, uncharged</p></li><li><p><strong>Phosphorylation site</strong></p></li></ul><p></p>
12
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Threonine

  • Hydroxyl + methyl

  • Polar, uncharged

  • Phosphorylation site

  • Two chiral centers


<ul><li><p>Hydroxyl + methyl</p></li><li><p>Polar, uncharged</p></li><li><p><strong>Phosphorylation site</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Two chiral centers</strong></p></li></ul><p></p>
13
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Cysteine

  • Thiol (–SH) group

  • Polar

  • Disulfide bonds


<ul><li><p>Thiol (–SH) group</p></li><li><p>Polar</p></li><li><p><strong>Disulfide bonds</strong></p></li></ul><p></p>
14
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Asparagine

  • Amide side chain

  • Polar, uncharged

  • N-linked glycosylation


<ul><li><p>Amide side chain</p></li><li><p>Polar, uncharged</p></li><li><p><strong>N-linked glycosylation</strong></p></li></ul><p></p>
15
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Glutamine

  • Longer amide side chain

  • Polar, uncharged

  • Nitrogen transport


<ul><li><p>Longer amide side chain</p></li><li><p>Polar, uncharged</p></li><li><p><strong>Nitrogen transport</strong></p></li></ul><p></p>
16
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Aspartate

  • Carboxylate side chain

  • Negatively charged

  • Acidic; active sites


<ul><li><p>Carboxylate side chain</p></li><li><p><strong>Negatively charged</strong></p></li><li><p>Acidic; active sites</p></li></ul><p></p>
17
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Glutamate

  • Longer carboxylate side chain

  • Negatively charged

  • Excitatory neurotransmitter


<ul><li><p>Longer carboxylate side chain</p></li><li><p><strong>Negatively charged</strong></p></li><li><p><strong>Excitatory neurotransmitter</strong></p></li></ul><p></p>
18
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Lysine

  • Long aliphatic side chain

  • Positively charged (basic)

  • Binds DNA; histones

  • Common on protein surfaces


<ul><li><p>Long aliphatic side chain</p></li><li><p><strong>Positively charged (basic)</strong></p></li><li><p>Binds DNA; histones</p></li><li><p>Common on protein surfaces</p></li></ul><p></p>
19
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Arginine

  • Guanidinium group

  • Strongly positively charged

  • DNA/RNA binding

  • Salt bridges


<ul><li><p>Guanidinium group</p></li><li><p><strong>Strongly positively charged</strong></p></li><li><p>DNA/RNA binding</p></li><li><p>Salt bridges</p></li></ul><p></p>
20
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Histidine

  • Imidazole ring

  • pKa ≈ 6 (near physiological pH)

  • Can gain or lose proton

  • Enzyme active sites


<ul><li><p>Imidazole ring</p></li><li><p><strong>pKa ≈ 6 (near physiological pH)</strong></p></li><li><p>Can gain or lose proton</p></li><li><p><strong>Enzyme active sites</strong></p></li></ul><p></p>