HTHSCI 1LL3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Cysteine, Aromatic Amino Acids, Peptide
10 Apr 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
All of the proteins of the body are made from 20 amino acids encoded for by our dna. The unique sequence (primary sequence) of amino acids predicts its conformation and function. Alterations in the genetic code may lead to mutations in the protein"s primary structure, which can affect the proteins function. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. All amino acids contain a central lpha carbon jointed to a carboxylic acid group, an amino group, a hydrogen, and a side chain (r- group) R groups (side chain): the side chain dictates how the protein will interact with the environment and the body, r- group dictates properties. At physiological ph, amino acids exist where both the amino and carboxylic acid groups are charged. At this ph the molecule is neutral (+"ve and - ve cancel each other out) until the ph changes. The carbons and nitrogens form the backbone of the polypeptide.
