-A-

Acidic amino acid a's

- those containing carboxylic acids in their side chains, e.g. aspartate and glutamate

Aliphatic Amino Acids

- Aliphatic amino acids are -amino acids where R stands for either a hydrogen, or an aliphatic
radical.

Amino Acid
- any one of a class of organic compounds containing the amino (NH2) and the carboxyl (COOH)
group, occurring naturally in plant and animal tissues and forming the chief constituents of protein

Amino acid dehydratase

- an enzyme which contributes significantly to the total production of ammonia in the body.

Amino acid, essential

- n the group of amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the organism but are required
by the organism. They must be supplied by the diet. Isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine,
phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine are essential for adults;these eight plus
arginine and histidine are considered essential for infants and children.

Amino acid, glucogenic

- n the group of amino acids that produce enzymes that may be converted to glucose if necessary.

Amino acid, ketogenic

- n an amino acid that produces ketone bodies following chemical alteration of its carbon skeleton.

Amino acid, nonessential

- n the group of amino acids that can be synthesized by the organism and are not required
in the diet.

Amino acid nutritional deficiency

- the effects may be the same as a deficiency of total protein, reduced growth and production,
reduced food intake, loss of body weight, but deficiencies of individual amino
acids may have specific effects, e.g. taurine in cats.

Amino acid poisoning

- methionine has caused growth retardation and cervical paralysis in turkey poults.

Amino acid pool

- n an accumulation of amino acids in the liver and blood that adjusts to meet the body's
need for protein and amino acids.

Amino acid ratio

- a decreased ratio of branched chain to aromatic amino acids in plasma can be used to
detect chronic liver disease or portacaval shunts in dogs.

Amino acid sequencer

- automatic machine for determining the amino acid sequence of a protein.

Aromatic Amino Acids

- Aromatic amino acids are those in which R represents an aromatic group. These amino acid side
chains absorb UV light at 270-280 nm.
 -B-
Basic amino acid a's
- amino acids containing side chains that accept protons at physiological pH, e.g. lysine,arginine, an
d histidine.

Branched-chain amino acid a's

- methyl branched amino acids.

- C-
Cyclic Peptides
- Peptides in which the amino-acid sequence forms a ring structure rather than a straight chain, such
as the antibiotics tyrocidin and gramicidin.

-D-
D-amino acids
- are found in microorganisms, particularly in the cell walls of bacteria and in several of the
antibiotics.

-E-
Essential amino acid a's
- the amino acids which animals must ingest with their diets and which vary between
species and physiological status. The commonly accepted list of essential amino acidsincludes argi
nine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine,threonine, tryptophan
and valine. Birds also require glycine and cats require taurine intheir diets.

-F-
Free amino acid a's
- amino acids free in the blood, providing an available source for all tissues for catabolism.

-G-
Glucogenic amino acid
- an amino acid which yields either pyruvate or oxaloacetate and glucose synthesis can occur.
 -H-
Histidine
- is an amino acid that most often makes up the active sites of protein enzymes.

Hydrophobic
- means "water hating" - remember "oil and water don't mix" and "like dissolves like.

Hydrophobic effect
- the aggregation of non-polar systems in an aqueous environment.

-K-
Ketogenic amino acid
- an amino acid whose carbon skeleton yields ketone bodies; leucine is an example.

-N-
Nonpolar amino acids
- an -amino acid in which the functional group attached to the -carbon (that is, R i
nRCH(NH3+)COO-) has hydrophobic properties, for example, valine, leucine.

-P-
Peptide
- Two or more amino acids chained together by a bond called a "peptide bond".

Dipeptide - 2 Amino acids (two amino acids joined by one peptide bond)
Tripeptide - 3 Amino acids ( 3 amino acids linked by two peptide bonds)
Oligopeptide - 4-10 Amino acids
Protein - >50 amino acids

Peptide Bond
- The amide linkage between the alpha-amino group of one amino acid and the alpha carboxyl group
of another, with the elimination of a molecule of water.

Peptide Fingerprint
- A chromatographic pattern produced by partial hydrolysis of a protein and 2-D mapping of the
resulting peptide fragments.

Peptide Library
- A systematic combination of different peptides in a large number. It is a powerful tool for drug
discovery, structural studies and other applications. Solid phase peptide synthesis, along with other
methods, has been successfully used to prepare peptide libraries.
Peptide Mapping
- A general term for methods used to identify unique proteins or nucleic acids by breaking them up
with enzymes and looking at the resulting pattern of their amino acid or nucleotide base sequences.

Peptide Mimetics
- The design of structurally similar organic compounds.

Peptide Sequence
- The order in which amino acid residues connected by peptide bonds.

Peptide Synthesis
- A biological or chemical process in which amino acids are added stepwise to a chain by the
formation of a peptide bond between a carboxyl group on one amino acid and a free amino group
on another amino acid. The formation of each peptide bond is energetically favorable because the
growing carboxyl terminus is activated by the covalent attachment of a tRNA molecule.

Polar Amino Acids

- The side chains in this group possess a spectrum of functional groups

Phenylalanine
- consists of a phenyl group attached to alanine.

Protein
- An organic high polymer that is an amphoteric biopolymer consisting of amino acids joined by
peptide linkages. Genetic code determines the order of the twenty possible amino acids used in
protein synthesis, and thus the protein's structure and function. Proteins are the principal
constituents of cellular material and serve as enzymes, hormones, structural elements, and
antibodies. Protein is involved in electron and oxygen transport, muscle contraction, and other
bodily activities.

Protein Synthesis
- Synthesis of a protein, directed by the genetic code, which occurs by translation of mRNA into
protein via tRNA. The ribosome attaches to the mRNA, using it as a template.

- S-
Sulfur amino acid a's
- essential amino acids containing sulfur, cysteine, cystine and methionine.

-T-
Tryptophan
- contains an indole ring attached to the alanyl side chain.

-U-
Urinary amino acid a's
- analysis may be used to detect inherited disorders of metabolism, such as cystinuria, tyrosinemia
and citrullinemia.