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Definition
Amino Acids are the common compounds which contain both carboxylic and amino
group.
Carboxylic group is acidic whereas, the amino group is basic.
General Formula
On the basis of number of carboxylic group (-COOH) and amino group (-NH2). Amino
acids are classified into the following three classes.
1. Neutral Amino Acids
2. Acidic Amino Acids
3. Basic Amino Acids
Example
1. Glycine (CH2NH2COOH)
2. Alanine (CH3-CH-NH2-COOH)
Example
1. Asparite [CH2NH2CH(COOH)2]
2. Glutamic [HOOC-CH2-CH2-CH-NH2-COOH]
Zwitter Ion
When the hydrogen ion of carboxylic group is accepted by amino group in amino acid
then Zwitter ion is formed.
Zwitter ion is a German word, its meaning is two charged ion, i.e. both positive and
negative charge. This ion is electrically neutral. In solution amino acid, exist in following
ionic form.
In the polymers of amino acids, different amino acids are linked together through a bond
or linkage, which is known as peptide bond or Peptide bond or Peptide Linkage.
When the hydrogen of amino acid combine with the OH group of other amino acid to
form water, the bond between Nitrogen of one amino acid and carbon of other amino acid
is formed which is known as Peptide Bond or Linkage. This peptide bond is formed in
proteins which are the polymers of amino acids.
Diagram Coming Soon
Naturally occuring amino acids are known as, essential amino acids.
A large number of sunthetic amino acids are known, but only 20 amino acids occur in
nature.