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Is the new MCAT 2015 asking us to memorize structures of amino acids since Biochemistry was added? Or is it only necessary to know if they're polar/nonpolar/aromatic/acidic/basic?
From what I've seen in my limited exposure to the new exam (I took the old MCAT), if you can answer a question about the isoelectric point of a chain of amino acids, you're good to go. I don't think memorizing the exact structure of each side chain will offer any benefit, but you should know the unique properties of some of them (such as cysteine in disulfide bridges).
Just my n=1.
Old MCAT didn't cover hard core biochem. The new MCAT is a different animal.From what I've seen in my limited exposure to the new exam (I took the old MCAT), if you can answer a question about the isoelectric point of a chain of amino acids, you're good to go. I don't think memorizing the exact structure of each side chain will offer any benefit, but you should know the unique properties of some of them (such as cysteine in disulfide bridges).
Just my n=1.
Actually I believe you need to know the pKa of side chains. For example you need to know if histidine at physiological pH carries a positive charge or not. You can only fogure this out if you know the pKa of histidine.You're probably right. Proline will probably also be useful b/c it introduces a "kink" in the alpha helix.
Some of the unofficial practice questions I've seen ask where you're likely to find a given amino acid (interior or exterior of protein). I've seen many questions that deal with charge/pKa (though if the side chain is relevant, they will give you its pKa; you're not required to know any amino acid pKa).