Amino Acid -Building Blocks of Life

Amino Acids - The Building Blocks of Life

Amino acids are one of the four major groups of biomolcules. Amino acids are joined together by peptide bonds to form polypeptides and proteins.³ Peptide bonds are formed through dehydration synthesis which removes two hydrogen atoms from the amino group and an oxygen atom from the carboxy group. Amino acids form proteins which can take the form of primary, secondary, tertiary, or quaternary proteins. Proteins cam be fibrous, or globular. Fibrous proteins provide structural support to the tissues and cells of the body. Globular proteins form enzymes and transport proteins which play a vital role in human physiology. The two amino acids analyzed in this post are asparagine and glutamine.

 

IUPAC name: Asparagine

 

 

ACD ChemScetch Image¹

 

 

 

Common name: 2-Amino-3-carbamoylpropanoic acid

Letter codes: Asn (N). ²

Neutral amino acid

Formula: C₄H₈N₂O₃

Molecular weight: 123.12g/mol. ²

Hydrogen bonding: Hydrogen bonding occurs at the hydroxy group (-OH) of the amino acid.

Dipeptide bond site: Circled in chemscetch image

ACD ChemScetch Image¹

 

IUPAC name: Glutamine

 

ACD ChemScetch Image¹

 

 

 

 

Common name: 2-Amino-4-carbamoylbutanoic acid; (levo)glutamide

Letter codes: Gln (Q). ²

Neutral amino acid

Formula: C₅H₁₀N₂O₃

Molecular weight: 146.14g/mol. ²

Hydrogen bonding: Hydrogen bonding occurs at the hydroxy group (-OH) of the amino acid.

Dipeptide bond site: Circled on chemscetch image

ACD ChemScetch Image ¹


References

¹ACD ChemScetch Free Software.

 

² Chemspider.com.http://www.chemspider.com/Chemical-Structure.149808.html?rid=bce62c1b-719e-42e9-a4de-b3539bc4932a

 

³Smith, Janice. Organic Chemistry. Second Edition. McGraw Hill Higher Education, 2008.