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Chapter 3: Problem 28

Consider the peptides Ser - Glu-Gly-His-Ala and Gly-His-Ala-Glu-Ser. How do these two peptides differ?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The two peptides differ in the order of their amino acids.

Step by step solution

01

- Identify the peptide sequences

First, look at the sequences of the two peptides: Ser-Glu-Gly-His-Ala and Gly-His-Ala-Glu-Ser.
02

- Compare the amino acids in each position

Compare the amino acids at each position from left to right. The first peptide has Ser, Glu, Gly, His, Ala and the second has Gly, His, Ala, Glu, Ser.
03

- Identify the difference in sequences

Notice that the sequences consist of the same amino acids but in different orders: Ser-Glu-Gly-His-Ala is not in the same order as Gly-His-Ala-Glu-Ser.
04

- Conclude the difference

Conclude that these two peptides differ in their amino acid sequence. Even though they are composed of the same amino acids, the order of the amino acids is different.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Amino Acid Sequence
An amino acid sequence refers to the specific order in which amino acids are bonded together to form a peptide or protein. Each amino acid is represented by a three-letter or one-letter code (e.g., Ser for Serine). For instance, in the peptides Ser-Glu-Gly-His-Ala and Gly-His-Ala-Glu-Ser, the sequence specifies the order of amino acids. The sequence determines the peptide's properties and function. By comparing sequences, we can understand differences in peptides, like how Ser-Glu-Gly-His-Ala has a different order than Gly-His-Ala-Glu-Ser.
Peptide Structure
Peptide structure is crucial in understanding how peptides differ from each other.
The primary structure is the linear sequence of amino acids linked by peptide bonds.
In our example, although both peptides have the same amino acids, their primary structures differ.
  • Ser-Glu-Gly-His-Ala: Starts with Serine and ends with Alanine.
  • Gly-His-Ala-Glu-Ser: Starts with Glycine and ends with Serine.
These differences affect how each peptide might fold and interact with other molecules.
Biochemical Comparison
Biochemical comparison involves analyzing the chemical properties and biological activities of peptides.
While Ser-Glu-Gly-His-Ala and Gly-His-Ala-Glu-Ser have the same amino acids, they may behave differently:
  • Activity: The different sequence can lead to different biological activities because the 3D structure varies.
  • Solubility: The position of amino acids like Glu (Glutamic acid) can affect solubility due to charge differences.
  • Reactivity: Reactive side chains in different positions lead to varied biochemical reactions with other molecules.
Tools such as mass spectrometry and chromatography can help in comparing these biochemical properties.
Protein Chemistry
Protein chemistry studies the chemical processes and properties of proteins and peptides.
Understanding the amino acid sequence and peptide structure is fundamental. In the sequence Ser-Glu-Gly-His-Ala versus Gly-His-Ala-Glu-Ser, changes in order impact protein folding, stability, and function:
  • Folding: Proteins fold into specific structures based on the sequence. Different sequences may produce different folds.
  • Stability: Amino acid placement can influence stability. For instance, Glutamic acid near the end vs. the start changes how the peptide stabilizes.
  • Function: Specific sequences are essential for binding to enzymes or receptors, impacting how the protein functions in biological systems.
By studying protein chemistry, one can predict and modify peptide and protein behavior for desired applications.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Suggest a reason why amino acids are usually more soluble at \(\mathrm{pH}\) extremes than they are at neutral pH. (Note that this does not mean that they are insoluble at neutral pH.)

Most proteins contain more than 100 amino acid residues. If you decided to synthesize a " 100 -mer," with 20 different amino acids available for each position, how many different molecules could you make?

For each of the following, name an amino acid in which the R group contains it: a hydroxyl group, a sulfur atom, a second chiral carbon atom, an amino group, an amide group, an acid group, an aromatic ring, and a branched side chain.

The enzyme n-amino acid oxidase, which converts D-amino acids to their \(\alpha\) -keto form, is one of the most potent enzymes in the human body. Suggest a reason why this enzyme should have such a high rate of activity

Identify the polar amino acids, the aromatic amino acids, and the sulfur- containing amino acids, given a peptide with the following amino acid sequence: Val-Met-Ser-Ile-Phe-Arg-Cys-Tyr-Leu
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