The nature of amino acids is very distinctive. As the name suggests, amino acids have very characteristic acidic properties in them. These amino acid compounds are part of the protein.
You must have often heard of amino acids. Maybe you find it on the packaging of vitamins, nutritional foods, or even facial care products.
Indeed, this compound holds many benefits for living things. Amino acids which are indeed part of the amine group protein play an important role in the growth process.
Amino acids have very distinctive properties, what are they? Listen here!
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Definition and Properties of Amino Acids
Each protein will have its own sequence of amino acids. Amino acids themselves are the structural alphabet in proteins because they have molecules that can make various proteins.
Many humans use amino acids as vitamins and even facial care products. This compound is very famous for the development of the human brain.
Protein from amino acids plays a very important role in maximum brain development.
This compound has two amino groups as well as a carboxyl group. Basically, amino acids are protein monomers. In biochemistry, the meaning of an amino acid is a horse group bonded to one carbon atom.
Acquisition of amino acids is by hydrolyzing proteins which produce 20 amino acids. In the aqueous form, amino acids are amphoric.
That is, amino acids will tend to be identified as acids in basic solutions and as bases in acidic solutions. This is because this amino acid is capable of zwitter ions.
Due to the influence of the carboxyl group, the amino acids become able to react with bases and acids.
If the nature of the amino acid binds more than one -COOH group and one amine group, it will be acidic. On the other hand, if it binds to one carboxyl group and more than one amino group it will be basic.
Properties of Amino Acids
Here are some properties of amino acids that you need to know:
- Amino acids can dissolve in water as well as other polar solvents. However, amino acids are insoluble in nonpolar solvents such as benzene or diethyl ether.
- Has a large dipole moment.
- Amino acids are less acidic than most carboxylic acids.
- Amino acids are still less basic than most of the amines.
- In the nature of amino acids, the amino group can be bonded to the carbon atom adjacent to the carboxyl group. The amine group and the well-known carboxyl group are still attached to the same carbon.
Amino acids, except glycine, are optically active. That is, the asymmetric C atom is chiral with four different bonding groups. Thus, the amino acids rotate the plane of polarization of light.
Zwitter ions present in amino acids become intramolecular and intermolecular acid-base reactions in these compounds. Later, the zwitter ion will form inbipolar and will be dominant depending on the pH of the solution.
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Classification of Amino Acids
Now that you know the properties of amino acids, you also need to understand the classification of these compounds. The classification is based on the relative R group on the amino acid, along with the explanation.
1. Non Polar R Group
For the first classification, this means that the non-polar R groups have a slight difference in regional charge from one to another. This group consists of five aliphatic containing amino acids and is composed of two aroatic groups.
There is also a group containing a sulfur or methionine atom.
2. Uncharged Polarized R Group
This next group is easily soluble in water. This is because the polar R group can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules.
Examples of this group of amino acids are threonine, glutamine, asparagine, and tyrosine. Asparagine and glutamine are amide compounds of aspartic acid and glutamic acid.
3. Group R Negative Charge
This group of amino acids is at a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 and is composed of aspartic acid and glutamic acid. Each of its constituents has two carboxyl groups.
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4. Positively Charged R Group
The types of amino acids in this group have a pH of 7.0 which is composed of lysine, histidine, and arginine. As a result, the amino acid contains another amino group at the e position of the aliphatic R chain.
The understanding and nature of amino acids is basically very important for the human body. It would be better if it meets the body’s amino acid needs so that health is maintained. (R10/KAMPLONGAN)
