Deck · MCAT
Biochemistry
Amino acids and proteins, enzyme kinetics and regulation, metabolism and bioenergetics, and the molecular biology of the gene for the MCAT.
266 cards · audited · SM-2 spaced repetition
Included with the full MCAT program — 8 decks, 1,519 cards.
Sample cards
What is the general structure of a standard (proteinogenic) amino acid?
A central α-carbon bonded to four groups: an amino group (-NH3+), a carboxyl group (-COO-), a hydrogen atom, and a variable R-group (side chain).
What is the absolute configuration of the 19 chiral standard amino acids found in proteins?
L-configuration (S in the CIP/R-S system, except L-cysteine, which is R because sulfur raises the side chain's priority).
Why is an amino acid called a dipolar ion (zwitterion) at physiological pH?
At pH ~7 the carboxyl group is deprotonated (-COO-) and the amino group is protonated (-NH3+), so the molecule carries both a negative and a positive charge but is net neutral.
Which standard amino acids have nonpolar, aliphatic side chains?
Glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, and proline (proline's side chain forms a ring with the backbone N).
Which standard amino acids are aromatic?
Phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. (Histidine has an aromatic imidazole ring but is usually classed as basic/positively charged.)
Showing 5 of 266 cards. Unlock the program to study them all.
More in MCAT
Master biochemistry — and the rest of MCAT.
One program. 1,519 audited cards across 8 decks.