Week 7.1 - Protein Monomers & Polymers

These flashcards cover key concepts related to protein monomers and polymers, focusing on amino acids, their properties, and roles in protein synthesis.

Amino Acid

The building blocks of proteins, consisting of a central carbon atom, an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a variable side chain.

Hydrophobic

Describes a side chain that does not interact well with water and tends to be nonpolar.

Hydrophilic

Describes a side chain that interacts well with water and tends to be polar.

Anticodon

A sequence of three nucleotides on tRNA that corresponds to a complementary codon on mRNA, facilitating amino acid transport to the ribosome.

Charge interaction in amino acids

The presence of an O-H group or a + / - charge in the amino acid side chain makes it polar and hydrophilic.