Amino Acid Properties

Amino acids are the basic structural units of proteins. An alpha-amino acid consists of an amino group, a carboxyl group, a hydrogen atom, and a distinctive R group bonded to a carbon atom, which is called the alpha-carbon because it is adjacent to the carboxyl (acidic) group. An R group is referred to as a side chain.(Stryer,1988).

Amino Acids are commonly classified into the following groups based on the chemical and/or structural properties of their side chains :

• Aliphatic Amino Acids
• A Cyclic Amino Acid
• AAs with Hydroxyl or Sulfur-containing side chains
• Aromatic Amino Acids
• Basic Amino Acids
• Acidic Amino Acids and their Amides
  

 

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Structure of Amino Acids
Amino Acid Properties

Classes of Amino Acids
Amino Acid Disorders Screening
Functions and Non-functions in proteins