Clinical Chem - Proteins And Amino Acids

Front 1

what makes one amino acid different from another amino acid

Back 1

The R (residue) group differs with each amino acid.

Front 2

What is the pKa of an amino acid

Back 2

The pKa is the pH at the inflection point where the slope is very shallow. pKa is the pH where is concentration of the deprotonated form equals the concentration of the protonated form. At the pKa, buffering capacity is optimal and thus changes in the pH due to the addition of acids and bases are resisted - a shallow slope.

Front 3

zwitterion

Back 3

a zwitterion is a form of molecule which carries both a positive an negative charge, it occurs at a pH value between the pKa values of the ionizable group.

Front 4

What is the isoelectric point

Back 4

pH value at which the number of positive charges equals the number of negative charges. tied to the zwitterion being in the middle.

Front 5

polypeptide

Back 5

a polypeptide is a chain made of more than 50 amino acids.

Front 6

oligopeptide

Back 6

chain made of 3-50 amino acids

Front 7

Primary structure

Back 7

the covalent linear structure of the protein that is specified by its amino acid sequence as determined by the genetic code.

Front 8

Secondary structure

Back 8

localized regular, repitive folding patterns; alpha helix and beta pleated sheets .

Front 9

Tertiary structure

Back 9

refers to the overall 3D folding pattern of the polypeptide; creates binding sites and situates R groups in the appropriate environment.

Front 10

Quaternary structure

Back 10

formed by the interactions between different polypeptide chains, known as subunits; results in increased protein structure and the possibility of cooperativity for ilgand binding.

Front 11

ligand

Back 11

molecule that binds to a binding site on a protein.

Front 12

prosthetic group

Back 12

a coenzyme or metal ion that is very tightly or even covalently bound to the enzyme protein is called the prosthetic group. in absence of the prosthetic group, the polypeptide component is known as an apoprotein; in its presence, known as a holoprotein.

Front 13

2 ways proteins can be denatured

Back 13

acid and heat