BL/CH 401 Lecture #4 -- Amino Acid Structures

Acids - Negatively Charged Amino Acids

Polar -- Charged -- Acids -- Asp (Aspartic acid or Aspartate) -- in computers Asp = D

{*Figure 20*}

Asp has a second carboxylic acid group in addition to its alpha-carboxylic acid group.

The Asp side chain carboxyl group is normally ionized at biological pH; Asp a negatively charged AA.

Asp is a rather small AA and is very polar.

Polar -- Charged -- Acids -- Glu (Glutamic acid or glutamate) -- in computers Glu = E

{*Figure 21*}

Glu also has a second carboxylic acid group in addition to its alpha-carboxylic acid group.

The Glu side chain carboxyl group is normally ionized at biological pH;

Glu a negatively charged AA.

©Wilbur H. Campbell, 1995, 1996; wcampbel@mtu.edu

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