Characteristics of Amino Acids
Characteristics of a peptide bond
Amino Acid Basic Facts
1) All amino acids found in proteins are alpha amino acids
2) amino and carboxylate groups are bounded to the alpha carbon
3) pH 7.4 –> -NH3+ and -COO-
Amino Acid Structure
Nonpolar R Group Amino Acids
Glycine (Gly) Alanine (Ala) Valine (Val) Leucine (Leu) Isoleucine (Ile) Proline (Pro) Phenylalanine (Phe) Tryptophan (Trp) Methionine (Met)
Hydrophobic Interactions
Ala, Val, Leu, Ile –> cluster to stabilize proteins
Proline –> rigid conformation reduces polypeptide flexibility
–> proline is also the first amino acid in alpha helices; starts it off (beta sheets less frequent)
Glycine –> protein flexibility due to H R group
Polar Uncharged R group Amino Acids
Asparagine (Asn) Glutamine (Gln) Cysteine (Cys) Serine (Ser) Threonine (Thr) Tyrosine (Tyr)
Cys & Tyr –> lose proton at high pH (basic pH)
Asn & Gln –> carbonyl and aside group participate in H bonding
Ser, Thr, Tyr –> polar OH group for H bonding and attachment for groups such as phosphate help with cell signaling
Asn, Ser, Thr –> sites of attachment for oligosaccharides in glycoproteins
Cysteine
Acidic Side Chains
-fully ionized at physiological pH
Aspartic Acid (Asp) Glutamic Acid (Glu)
Basic Side Chains
Lysine (Lys)
Arginine (Arg)
Histidine (His)
Lys and Arg fully proton acted at physiological pH
His is weakly basic (can be uncharged depending on environment) –> has the best buffering capacity at physiological pH
His also found in active sites of enzymes
Selenocysteine
Rare amino acid
Similar to cysteine but with an atom of Selenium in place of sulfur
Not coded directly by genetic code
Coded thru SECIS (Selenocysteine Insertion Sequence) and a UGA codon (in eukaryotes the 3’ untranslated region)
Not just floating around, specifically synthesized on special tRNA
Function: incorporate into nascent polypeptides
Stability of a Protein
Proteins tend to fold into the conformation of lowest energy with the most hydrogen bonds
Primary Structure of Proteins
Sequence of Amino Acids in proteins –> determined by mRNA
Includes covalent bonds (peptide and disulfide)
Secondary Structure of Proteins- Alpha Helix
Recurring structural patterns
AA that favor formation of Alpha helix (and do not favor)
Favor Ala Asp Glu Ile Leu Met
Do Not Favor
Proline –> steric constraints from R group
Glycine –> due to high conformational flexibility
[in large numbers] –> by electrostatic repulsion
Glu
Asp
His
Lys
Arg
Secondary Structure of Proteins- Beta Sheets
Composed of 2 or more regions of one polypeptide chain or 2 or more polypeptide chains
-can be parallel or anti parallel
Secondary Structure of Proteins- Turns (loops/coils)
Regions that connect alpha helices and beta sheets
Tertiary Structure of Proteins
Folding of the secondary structure onto itself
3D form
Interacting regions of proteins can be stabilized by the net effect of many weak interactions and disulfide bonds
Hydrophobic residues bury within proteins
Quaternary Structure of Proteins
Arrangement of 2 or more polypeptide chains
I.e.: Hemoglobin
Quarternary Structure of Proteins- Motifs
STRUCTURAL
Occur in tertiary and quaternary structures
Include multiple secondary structures
Has function but cannot work independently like a domain
I.e.: transcription factors contain a variety of motifs: Helix-turn helix Helix-loop helix Leucine zipper Zinc finger
Quarternary Structure of Proteins- Domains
FUNCTIONAL- Hold different functions
Part of the polypeptide chains that can fold stably and independently with respect to the entire protein
Proteins can have multiple domains (with different functions)
Have biological functions i.e. Can phosphorylate proteins
More like a sequence, not like a physical structure seen in motifs 0
Fibrous Proteins- FUNCTION
Structural Support
External Protection
Flexibility
Shape
Fibrous Proteins- EXAMPLES
Collagen
Alpha-Keratin
Silk
Fibrous Proteins- Overall Arrangement
Polypeptide strands arranges in sheets or strands
Fibrous Proteins- STRUCTURE
One form of secondary structure (either alpha or beta)
Simple tertiary structure
Fibrous Proteins- SOLUBILITY
Contain hydrophobic residues for the most part therefore insoluble
Globular Proteins- FUNCTION
Enzymes
Motors
Regulation
Immunoglobulins
Transport