Biochemistry

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, and each amino acid contains an amino functional group. The amino functional group, which is characterized by the presence of a nitrogen atom attached to one or more hydrogen atoms $(-NH_2)$, is a fundamental part of the molecular structure of amino acids.

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" />

The reason why the amino functional group is essential for protein structure and function is due to its role in forming peptide bonds. Peptide bonds are the chemical bonds that link amino acids together to form proteins. The process of forming a peptide bond involves a reaction between the amino group of one amino acid and the carboxyl group (-COOH) of another. This reaction is a condensation reaction, where a molecule of water is released, and it results in the formation of a covalent bond known as a peptide bond.

The general reaction for the formation of a peptide bond can be represented as follows:

$$ \text{Amino acid 1} - \text{NH}_2 + \text{HOOC} - \text{Amino acid 2} \rightarrow $$ $$ \text{Amino acid 1} - \text{NHCO} - \text{Amino acid 2} + \text{H}_2\text{O} $$

This peptide bond formation is a key step in the translation process of protein synthesis, where the genetic code from mRNA is used to assemble a specific sequence of amino acids into a polypeptide chain.

Furthermore, the amino group&#39;s properties contribute to the overall structure and function of proteins in several ways:

1. Charge and Solubility: The amino group can accept a proton (H+) and become positively charged under physiological pH conditions. This property affects the solubility and overall charge of the amino acids and proteins, influencing their interactions with other molecules and their function in biological systems.

2. Protein Folding: The interactions between amino groups and other parts of the protein or the surrounding environment contribute to the folding of the protein into its three-dimensional structure, which is crucial for its function.

3. Active Sites: In some cases, the amino group can be directly involved in the catalytic activity of enzymes, serving as a site for substrate binding or participating in the chemical reaction.

In summary, the amino functional group is an integral part of amino acids and is always present. It plays a critical role in the formation of peptide bonds, which are necessary for constructing proteins. Additionally, the chemical properties of the amino group are essential for the structure, solubility, folding, and function of proteins.

Biology

Among amino acids and proteins, which of the following always contains an amino functional group, and why is this group essential for protein structure and function?

Question

Among amino acids and proteins, which of the following always contains an amino functional group, an...

Solution

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