A&P 2.11 Polypeptides and Proteins

Vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental protein chemistry, amino acid components, peptide bonding, and the four levels of protein structure based on the lecture.

Proteins

Molecules containing carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen that serve as structural components, moving parts, and enzymes within cells.

Amino Acids

The smaller unit building blocks that make up long chains of proteins.

20 Standard Amino Acids

The basic standard number of amino acids that build proteins in human biology.

Amine Group

A specific structural part of an amino acid containing a nitrogen atom, which is absent in fatty acids and carbohydrates like glucose.

Variable Group (Side Chain)

The distinct part of an amino acid, represented as R, that varies between different types of amino acids and can consist of a single atom or multiple atoms.

Peptide Bond

A bond formed through a dehydration synthesis reaction between an amine group and a carboxyl group (between carbon and nitrogen) that joins amino acids together.

Polypeptide

A polymer of amino acids consisting of a long chain linked together by many peptide bonds.

Primary Structure

The linear sequence of amino acids in a protein when stretched out into a long chain.

Secondary Structure

The folded or twisted shape of a polypeptide chain, such as an alpha helix or a beta sheet.

Alpha Helix

An example of a protein secondary structure where a single chain of amino acids is twisted or rolled into a coiled shape.

Beta Sheet

An example of a protein secondary structure formed by folding polypeptide chains.

Tertiary Structure

The three-dimensional (3D) arrangement formed by folding secondary protein structures into a complex structure.

Quaternary Structure

The structure formed when more than one polypeptide chain joins or folds together to form a single functional protein molecule.

Hemoglobin

A molecule with quaternary structure that consists of four separate polypeptide chains folded together.

Collagen

A protein with quaternary structure composed of three polypeptide chains linked, twisted, and braided together.