What differentiates one amino acid from another?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking what distinguishes one amino acid from another, which involves identifying the specific chemical and structural differences between the 20 different amino acids that make up proteins.
Answer
The R-group (side chain)
The presence of the R-group (or side chain) is what differentiates one amino acid from another.
Answer for screen readers
The presence of the R-group (or side chain) is what differentiates one amino acid from another.
More Information
The R-group can vary widely among amino acids, including being polar, non-polar, acidic, or basic, contributing to the diverse properties and functions of proteins. The R-group is attached to the alpha carbon of the amino acid.
Sources
- What makes one amino acid different from another? - homework.study.com
- Biochemistry, Essential Amino Acids - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 18.3: Amino Acids - Chemistry LibreTexts - chem.libretexts.org
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