Amino Acids - Glycine

The Biology Project > Biochemistry > The Chemistry of Amino Acids

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Glycine G (Gly)

Chemical Properties:
    Aliphatic
(Aliphatic R-group)

Physical Properties:
Nonpolar


Glycine is the smallest of the amino acids. It is ambivalent, meaning that it can be inside or outside of the protein molecule. In aqueous solution at or near neutral pH, glycine will exist predominantly as the zwitterion

The isoelectric point or isoelectric pH of glycine will be centered between the pK_as of the two ionizable groups, the amino group and the carboxylic acid group.

In estimating the pK_a of a functional group, it is important to consider the molecule as a whole. For example, glycine is a derivative of acetic acid, and the pK_a of acetic acid is well known. Alternatively, glycine could be considered a derivative of aminoethane.

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The Biology Project > Biochemistry > The Chemistry of Amino Acids

The Biology Project
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics
University of Arizona
August 25, 2003
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