BI110 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Alpha And Beta Carbon, Protein Folding, Amine
Document Summary
Amino acids consist of central carbon atom (alpha carbon) connected by covalent bonds to four di erent chemical groups, an amino group, carboxyl group, a hydrogen atom and a variable side chain (r group) In the cell, the amino group gains a proton to become nh3 and the carboxyl group loses a proton to become coo. Four covalent bonds from the alpha carbon are at equal angles. The r groups of amino acids di er from on amino acid to the next. Chemical structures of the 20 amino acids are found in proteins. R group are chemically diverse and are grouped from properties, focused on hydrophobic or hydrophilic. These properties strongly in uence how a polypeptide folds, 3d shape of protein. Hydrophobic amino acids do not interact with water or form hydrogen bonds. They have non-polar groups made of hydrocarbon chains or uncharged carbon rings.
