(a) Draw the chemical structure of a generic amino acid, using \(R\) for the side chain. (b) When amino acids react to form proteins, do they do so via substitution, addition, or condensation reactions? (c) Draw the bond that links amino acids together in proteins. What is this called?

Short Answer

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(a) The generic chemical structure of an amino acid is: H | | N- Cα -C=O | | H O | R (b) Amino acids react to form proteins via condensation reactions. (c) The bond linking amino acids in proteins is called a peptide bond or amide bond, with the structure: (-O-C-N-).

Step by step solution

01

(a) Drawing the chemical structure of a generic amino acid

An amino acid typically consists of a central carbon atom, known as the alpha carbon (Cα), linked to an amino group (-NH2), a carboxyl group (-COOH), a hydrogen atom, and a variable side chain denoted by 'R.' The generic structure of an amino acid can be represented as follows: H | | N- Cα -C double bonding with O | | H O | R
02

(b) Type of reaction for amino acids forming proteins

When amino acids react to form proteins, they do so via condensation reactions. In these reactions, the carboxyl group of one amino acid reacts with the amino group of another amino acid, releasing a molecule of water (H2O) and forming a peptide bond.
03

(c) Drawing the bond and naming it

When two amino acids bond together, the carboxyl group (-COOH) of the first amino acid reacts with the amino group (-NH2) of the second amino acid, forming a peptide bond. Here's the structure of the peptide bond: ( -O-C-N- ) This bond, which links the two amino acids together, is called a peptide bond or an amide bond.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

The molar heat of combustion of gaseous cyclopropane is \(-2089 \mathrm{kJ} / \mathrm{mol};\) that for gaseous cyclopentane is \(-3317 \mathrm{kJ} / \mathrm{mol} .\) Calculate the heat of combustion per \(\mathrm{CH}_{2}\) group in the two cases, and account for the difference.

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