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Amino acid structure
classification and
properties
U.DEEPALAKSHMI
1 M.Sc MICROBIOLOGY
What is amino acid?
Amino acids are the building blocks
of peptides and proteins. Amino acids are
monomer of protein . The first amino acid
discovered was Asparginine in 1806.
Amino acid structure:
while they all have common
elements of an amine group, a
carboxyl group and a side chain.
Amino acid classification:
Based on their R group and polarity.
Based on their nutrition.
Nonstandard protein amino acid.
Non protein amino acid.
1.Classification based on polarity:
Non polar amino acid.
Polar uncharged amino acid.
Polar positive charged amino
acid.
Polar negative charged amino
acid.
NON POLAR AMINO ACID:
valine Tryptophan
Proline
Polar uncharged amino acid:
serine Threonine
Tyrosine
Polar positive charged amino acid:
Polar negative charged amino acid:
Classification based on their R group:
1.Simple amino acid- Glycine , Alanine,
valine, Leucin, isoleucin.
2.Hetero cyclic amino acid- Histidine,
Proline.
3.Aromatic amino acid- Phenylalanine,
Tryptophan , Tyrosine.
4.sulphar contain amino acid-Methionine,
Cysteine.
5.Hydroxyil group contain amino acid-
Serine, Threonine, Tyrosine.
6.Acitic amino acid-Aspartic acid,
Glutamic acid.
7.Basic amino acid-Lysine, Histidine,
Arginine.
2.Classification based on
their nutrition:
Essential amino acid.
Non essential amino acid.
Essential amino acid:
Essential amino acids cannot be
made by the body. As a result, they must
come from food. There are nine
Valine.
Phenylalanine.
Leucin.
Isoleucin.
Threonine.
Tryptophan.
Methionine.
Lysine.
Histidine.
Non essential amino acid:
Non essential amino acids are
produced by human body either from
essential amino acid or from normal
proteins break down.
Asparginine.
Alanine.
Arginine.
Aspartic acid.
Cysteine.
Serine.
Glutamic acid.
Glutamine.
Proline.
Glycine.
Tyrosine.
3.Non standard protein amino acid:
These have a limited distribution
but may be present in high amounts in a
few proteins. As an example
hydroxyproline has a limited distribution
in nature but constitutes as much as 12%
of the composition of collagen an
important structural protein of animals.
Hydrolysine is also a important
component of collagen where it accounts
for about 1% of the total amino acids.
N- methyllisne is found in myosin, a
contractile protein of muscle.
Another important gamma-
carboxyglutamate which is found in the
blood clotting protein.
N-Methyl lysine
4.Non protein amino acid:
The important non protein amino
acids, which play metabolic roles such as
L- ornithine, L- citrulin, creatinine , and
gamma amino butyrate.
L-ornithine and L-citrulin occur in
free state in the animal tissue and are
metabolic intermediates in urea cycle.
The quaternary amine creatinine, a
derivative of Glycine plays an important
role in the energy storage process in
vertebrates.
Gamma amino butyrate is found in
free from in the brain.
Citrulin
Properties of amino acid:
There are 3 properties such as
Physical properties.
Chemical properties.
Biological properties.
Physical properties:
1.color and taste-proteins are colorless
and usually tasteless these are homogenous
and crystalline.
Tasteless-tyrosine.
Sweet-Glycine, Alanine.
Bitter-Arginine.
2.Shape and size:
A . Globular protein-These are spherical in
shape and occur in mainly plants in leaf cells.
EX: PEPSIN.
B. Fibrillar protein-these are thread like structure
occur in animal muscles.
EX:FIBRINOGEN and MYOSIN.
SIZE:
1.Hemoglobin-55 A.
2.collagen-3000A.
3.Molecular weight:
EX:Albumin-65000.,Fibrinogen-400000.
4.Amphoteric nature:
The proteins are amphoteric i,e they act as
both acid and alkali. ISOELECTRIC POINT is
the PH value at which the number of cations is
equal to anions. the net electric charge of a
protein is always 0.
Chemical properties:
Reaction based on NH2 group.
Reaction based on COOH group.
Reaction based on NH2 and COOH
group.
Reaction based on R group.
Reaction based on R group:
Folins test : blue color develops with
phosphomolybdotungustic acid in alkaline
solution due to the presence of phenol group. This
test specific for tyrosine.
Sakaguchi test: red color develops with
alpha naphthol and sodium hypochlorite. The test
detected for Arginine.
Biuret test :compounds containing peptide
bonds produce a purple color when treated
with an alkaline 0.2% copper sulfate solution
.this reaction is known as biuret reaction.
Reaction involving SH group:
NITROPRUSSIDE TEST – red color
develops with sodium nitroprusside in dilute
ammonium hydroxide .this test specific for
Cysteine.
Electro chemical properties:
The isoelectric point (pI, pH(I), IEP), is the
pH at which a particular molecule carries no
net electrical charge or is electrically neutral in
the statistical mean. The standard
nomenclature to represent the isoelectric
point is pH(I), although pI is also commonly
called.
ALANINE:
PI= PK1+PK2/2
=2.34+9.69/2
=12.03
PI =6.01
ARGININE:
PI=PK2+PK3/2
=9.04+12.48
=21.52
PI =10.76
S.NO AMINO ACID
THREE
LETTER
CODE
ONE
LETTER
CODE
PK1 PK2 PK3 PI
1 ALANINE Ala A 2.34 9.69 6.01
2 VALINE Val V 2.32 9.62 5.97
3 LEUCINE Leu L 2.36 9.60 5.98
4 ISOLEUCIN Ile I 2.36 9.68 6.02
5 PROLINE Pro P 1.99 10.96 6.48
6 PHENYLALNINE Phe F 1.83 9.13 5.48
7 TRYPTOPHAN Trp W 2.38 9.39 5.89
8 METHIONINE Met M 2.28 9.21 5.74
9 GLYCINE Gly G 2.34 9.60 5.97
10 SERINE Ser S 2.21 9.15 13.60 5.68
S.NO AMINO ACID
THREE
LETTER
CODE
ONE
LETTER
CODE
PK1 PK2 PK3 PI
11 THERONINE Thr T 2.11 9.62 13.60 5.87
12 TYROSINE Tyr Y 2.20 9.11 10.07 5.66
13 CYSTEINE Cys C 1.96 8.18 10.28 5.07
14 ASPARGININE Asp R 2.02 8.80 5.41
15 GLUTAMINE Gln Q 2.17 9.13 5.65
16 ASPARTETE Asd D 1.88 9.60 3.65 2.77
17 GLUTAMATE Glu E 2.19 9.67 4.25 3.22
18 LYSINE Lys K 2.18 8.95 10.53 9.74
19 ARGININE Arg R 2.17 9.04 12.48 10.76
20 HISTIDINE His H 1.82 9.17 6.00 7.59
BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES:
Alanine (A/Ala).
Important source of energy for muscle. One of
the three most important glycogenic amino acids. The
primary amino acid in sugar metabolism. Boosts
immune system by producing antibodies.
Valine (V/Val):
Essential for muscle development.
Leucine(L/Leu)
Beneficial for skin, bone and tissue wound healing.
Isoleucine (I/Ile).
Necessary for the synthesis of hemoglobin.
Phenylalanine (F/Phe).
Beneficial for healthy nervous system. It boosts
memory and learning.
Threonine (T/Thr).
Required for formation of collagen. Helps prevent
fatty deposits in liver. Aids in antibodies' production.
Lysine (L/Lys).
Component of muscle protein, and is needed in the
synthesis of enzymes and hormones. which is essential
for healthy nervous system function.
Aspartate (D/Asp).
Increases stamina and helps protect the liver;
DNA and RNA metabolism; immune system function.
Glutamate (E/Glu).
Neurotransmitter that is involved in DNA
synthesis.
Amino acid structure classification and properties