(Solved) Amino acid structure

lrob

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solved

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13 years ago

I apologise if this has an obvious simple answer- I have been looking at this and cannot figure it out, I'm sure it has a very straightforward answer.

I have always been taught than an amino acid looks like this:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alpha-amino-acid-2D-flat.png

However, in a certain lecture, the amino acids are portrayed like this
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A-amino-acid.png

In the latter, it seems there is a missing hydrogen atom, and that the valency of the carbon atom is not satisfied. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

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bio_man

wrote...

Educator

13 years ago

The former is correct. The latter is missing a hydrogen at alpha carbon. You're absolutely right.

Bio_man 8)

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lrob Author

wrote...

13 years ago

Thank you for confirming this bio_man, It doesn't seem to make sense, however, the latter diagram is fairly common in textbooks etc., I have seen many diagrams of it. When I searchedfor the latter picture, I googled "Amino acids" and it was in the first result page. I wonder why this is such a common mistake.

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bio_man

wrote...

Educator

13 years ago

It's because the structure is so common. In fact, most structural diagrams don't include hydrogens because they assume the reader knows that carbon and hydrogen are typically covalently bonded together. Makes the diagram easier to read. But on a test, always draw the one with the hydrogen bonded to the alpha carbon. It's important for the teacher to see it.

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duddy

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Staff Member

13 years ago

Please mark as solved.

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