Medical Biochemistry Lecture 1: Amino Acids

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Questions and Answers

What are the major structural and functional aspects of the body carried out by?

protein molecules

How many amino acids are seen in the human body?

What is the characteristic of most amino acids?

alpha amino acids

What is the exception to alpha amino acids?

proline Signup and view all the answers

How many ways can amino acids be classified?

5 Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the bond formed between amino acids?

peptide bonds Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of three-letter genetic codes in amino acid formation?

providing codons to the 20 L-α-amino acids Signup and view all the answers

What is the general term for molecules composed of amino acids linked by peptide bonds?

proteins Signup and view all the answers

What is the classification of amino acids based on the chemical structure of their side chain?

Classification based on chemical structure of side chain Signup and view all the answers

What type of amino acids are Leucine and Lysine?

Ketogenic amino acids Signup and view all the answers

What are the substrates for gluconeogenesis in the liver and kidney?

Pyruvate or one of the intermediates of the citric acid cycle Signup and view all the answers

What are the essential amino acids?

Isoleucine, Leucine, Threonine, Lysine, Methionine, Valine, Phenylalanine, and Tryptophan Signup and view all the answers

What are the non-essential amino acids?

Alanine, Asparagine, Aspartic acid, Cysteine, Glutamine, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Proline, Serine, and Tyrosine Signup and view all the answers

What are the two major classes of amino acids based on the nature of their side chain?

Hydrophilic or polar amino acids and Hydrophobic or nonpolar amino acids Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic of amino acids that exhibit optical activity?

Having an asymmetric carbon atom with different groups attached Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of partially essential amino acids?

Growing children require them in food, but they are not essential for adults Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Amino Acids and Peptides

Proteins, which are polymers of amino acids, carry out all major structural and functional aspects of the body.
There are 20 L-α-amino acids present in the human body, determined by three-letter genetic codes.

Structure of Amino Acids

Amino acids, except proline, are alpha amino acids, with the amino group attached to the same carbon atom as the carboxyl group.

Classification of Amino Acids

There are five ways to classify amino acids: by chemical nature, structure of the side chain, nutritional requirement, metabolic product, or nature/polarity of the side chain.

Classification Based on Chemical Structure of Side Chain

Not specified in the provided text.

Classification of Amino Acid Based on Metabolism

Ketogenic amino acids: yield acetoacetate or its precursors upon catabolism (e.g., Leucine and Lysine).
Ketogenic and glucogenic amino acids: partially yield acetoacetate and pyruvate or citric acid cycle intermediates.
Glucogenic amino acids: yield pyruvate or citric acid cycle intermediates, used for gluconeogenesis and glucose synthesis.

Classification Based on Nutritional Requirements

Essential amino acids: Isoleucine, Leucine, Threonine, Lysine, Methionine, Valine, Phenylalanine, and Tryptophan, which cannot be synthesized by humans and must be obtained through diet.
Partially essential (semi-essential) amino acids: Histidine and Arginine, required for growing children but not adults.
Non-essential amino acids: Alanine, Asparagine, Aspartic acid, Cysteine, Glutamine, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Proline, Serine, and Tyrosine, which can be synthesized by the body.

Classification Based on Nature or Polarity of Side Chain

Hydrophilic (polar) amino acids
Hydrophobic (nonpolar) amino acids

Optical Activity

Amino acids with an asymmetric carbon atom have different groups attached to the same carbon atom.

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Description

This quiz covers the structure and properties of amino acids, a fundamental topic in medical biochemistry. Test your knowledge on the building blocks of proteins.