What types of interactions can occur between the side chains of the following amino acids that would help maintain the tertiary structure of a protein? $$ \begin{array}{ll}{\text { a. cysteine and cysteine }} & {\text { c. glutamic acid and lysine }} \\ {\text { b. glutamine and serine }} & {\text { d. proline and leucine }}\end{array} $$

Short Answer

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Possible interactions between the given amino acid pairs that help maintain the tertiary structure of a protein include: a. Cysteine and Cysteine: Covalent disulfide bonds (S-S) b. Glutamine and Serine: Hydrogen bonding c. Glutamic acid and Lysine: Ionic bonding due to the attraction between their opposite charges d. Proline and Leucine: Hydrophobic interactions or van der Waals forces

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01

Pair a: Cysteine and Cysteine

Cysteine is a polar and uncharged amino acid that has a thiol group (-SH) in its side chain. Two cysteine side chains can form a covalent disulfide bond (S-S) to help maintain the tertiary structure of a protein. This type of bond is very strong and plays a key role in the stability of the protein's structure.
02

Pair b: Glutamine and Serine

Glutamine is a polar and uncharged amino acid that has an amide group (CONH2) in its side chain, while serine is also polar and uncharged but has a hydroxyl group (-OH) in its side chain. The interaction between these two amino acids can be hydrogen bonding, where the amide group of glutamine can form hydrogen bonds with the hydroxyl group of serine. These bonds are weaker than covalent bonds but contribute to the maintenance of the tertiary structure of a protein.
03

Pair c: Glutamic Acid and Lysine

Glutamic acid is an acidic, negatively charged amino acid that has a carboxyl group (-COO-) in its side chain, while lysine is a basic, positively charged amino acid that has an amino group (-NH3+) in its side chain. These two amino acids can form a strong ionic bond due to the attraction between their opposite charges. This electrostatic interaction can help stabilize the tertiary structure of a protein.
04

Pair d: Proline and Leucine

Proline is a nonpolar, hydrophobic amino acid that has a unique cyclic structure in its side chain, while leucine is also a nonpolar, hydrophobic amino acid with an aliphatic side chain. The interaction between these two amino acids can be hydrophobic interactions or van der Waals forces because both side chains are nonpolar and tend to avoid contact with water molecules. These types of interaction contribute to the maintenance of the tertiary structure by forming hydrophobic cores in the protein.

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