Introduction to Biochemistry: Amino Acids and Their Properties

These flashcards cover key terms and definitions discussed during the lecture on amino acids and their properties.

Amino Acid

Organic compounds that serve as the building blocks of proteins.

Zwitterion

A molecule that has both positive and negative charges but is overall neutral.

Canonical Amino Acids

The 20 standard amino acids that are coded by the genetic code.

Peptide Bond

A covalent bond that connects amino acids in a protein.

pH

A scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.

Selenocysteine

An amino acid that contains selenium and is encoded by certain codons.

Ionizable Groups

Functional groups that can gain or lose a proton depending on the pH.

pK

The measure of the strength of an acid in solution.

Auxotrophy

The inability of an organism to synthesize a particular organic compound required for its growth.