The Structure Of Amino Acids

Different types of bonds/interactions in proteins lead to different kinds of structures. Three of the most commonly known chemical bonds in proteins include the hydrogen bond, the covalent bond, and the ionic bond. In hydrogen bonds, hydrogen interacts with oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine to form either the alpha helix, or the beta sheet, which in turn determines its secondary, tertiary, or quaternary structure. Another type of bonds, the covalent bond, links amino acids together by sharing electrons;

Proteins are the basis of the protoplasm (fluid living content of the cell that contains the cytoplasm and cell nucleus) and are found in all living organisms. Proteins make up the bulk of animals body’s non-skeletal structure. As enzymes, they catalyze biochemical reactions; as antibodies, they prevent the effects of invading organisms; and as hormones, they control metabolic processes (C. Bissonnette, 2011). The Biuret test was used to detect the presence of peptide bonds within proteins, and they were found present in test tube #9 (control for peptide bonds).

a. Proteins- macromolecules made of amino acids. Proteins have many functions in the body. Some sources of proteins are whole-grain cereals, dark breads,rice, beans, and meat.

Box on right illustrates the peptide bond resulting from the condensation of both the amino acids. The box on the left illustrates the separation of the hydroxide group from glycine and the hydrogen atom from valine.

A protein has multiple existing structures, these are the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures which occur progressively. A protein is essentially a sequence of amino acids which are bonded adjacently, and interact with one another in various ways depending on the R group that the amino acid contains. There are 20 different amino acids which are able to be arranged in any given order, thus giving rise to a potential 2.433x1018 (4.s.f) different combinations, and therefore interactions between the various amino acids.

Proteins are complex structures made up of chains of amino acids. Each protein has a different function such as enzymes to catalyze reactions or protein hormones to trigger certain functions of a cell. First let’s start with the most basic component of a protein: an amino acid. An amino acid is made up of a central carbon atom attached to a hydrogen atom, a carboxyl group, an amino group, and an R group which varies

The amino acids bond together in bonds called peptide bonds. A chain of amino acids is called a polypeptide chain. The structure in which the amino acids are bonded determines the function of the protein. There are about twenty different amino acids, but there is a wide variety of possible combinations that amino acids can bond, therefore proteins have quite a lot of functions. Some things proteins are used for are the building of the muscles, tendons, organs, glands, nails, and hair. There are many more different functions for proteins. To detect proteins in test materials, there is an identifying agent called Biuret Solution which when mixed with the test material. It turns purple if it contains a protein. The darker the violet color, the more concentrated it is with protein.

They are made up of amino acids (consists of amino group, carboxyl group, hydrogen atom, and R group). Polypeptide bonds form between amino acids to form polypeptide chains. Amino acid sequence is primary protein structure. The secondary structure is the bonding pattern of the amino acids (e.g. helix, sheet, etc.). The tertiary structure consists of the domain, where the sheets or helixes fold on each other and become stable. The quaternary structure consists of several polypeptide chains that form advanced proteins such as human leukocyte

In choosing branched chain amino acids for my ergogenic aid project, I took a few different things into account. When looking at the list provided to our class for this project, I told myself that I wanted a challenge. I wanted to work on a topic that I knew very little about to begin with. Some of the choices off of the ergogenic aid list seemed to easy and broad. Options such as protein and alcohol would seem to be rather easy and bland. To begin with, I had heard of amino acids and branched chain amino acids. However, I knew next to nothing about them. Instead of covering the broad topic of all the amino acids, this topic allowed myself to go deeper

Proteins are polymeric chains that are built from monomers called amino acids. All structural and functional properties of proteins derive from the chemical properties of the polypeptide chain. There are four levels of protein structural organization: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary. Primary structure is defined as the linear sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain. The secondary structure refers to certain regular geometric figures of the chain. Tertiary structure results from long-range contacts within the chain. The quaternary structure is the organization of protein subunits, or two or more independent polypeptide chains.

Protein Synthesis Protein Synthesis is the process whereby DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) codes for the production of essential proteins, such as enzymes and hormones. Proteins are long chains of molecules called amino acids. Different proteins are made by using different sequences and varying numbers of amino acids. The smallest protein consists of fifty amino acids and the largest is about three thousand amino acids long. Protein synthesis occurs on ribosomes in the cytoplasm of a cell but is controlled by DNA located in the nucleus.

Hydrogen bonds interaction is with polar or charged amino acids. This is one amino acid sharing hydrogen with another amino acid at its oxygen atom. This bond typically occurs between an oxygen or nitrogen atom with a hydrogen atom between them. Although hydrogen bonds are stronger than hydrophobic interactions, it is not as strong as the bond that holds the polypeptide chain.

A protein is made from a chain of 20 amino acids, which is called polypeptides. As the biologic workhorses, proteins perform vital functions in every cell.

Proteins are large complex molecules that have many roles in the human body, as well as other organisms. It is made of hundreds of small monomers called amino acids that when combined produces a unique 3-dimensional structure to serve a specific function/purpose. A protein has several functions from the transportation of oxygen in the body e.g. haemoglobin to just as simple as an enzyme e.g. maltase to break down maltose.

Campbell and Farrell define proteins as polymers of amino acids that have been covalently joined through peptide bonds to form amino acid chains (61). A short amino acid chain comprising of thirty amino acids forms a peptide, and a longer chain of amino acids forms a polypeptide or a protein. Each of the amino acids making up a protein, has a fundamental design that comprises of a central carbon or alpha carbon that is bonded to a hydrogen element, an amino grouping, a carboxyl grouping, and a unique side chain or the R-group (Campbell and Farrell 61).