I'll give you some basics...this SHOULD be all you would need and maybe more.
*In terms of structure, know that is is comprised of Amino group, Hydrogen, Carboxyl group, and an R group (side chain) which confers the variability. Know what a peptide bond looks like, is forged by a condensation rxn, and broken by a hydrolysis rxn. Know that the peptide bond experiences some degree of e- delocalization...it has a partial sp^2 hybridization that renders it ~planar.
*Glycine is the smallest, simplest AA in that its R group is a hydrogen...it is the only achiral AA.
*Valine is a common example of a nonpolar AA with an isopropyl R group. Don't have to know this but it would probably help and not that hard to memorize.
*HAL (mnenomic)... Histidine, Arginine, Lysine are the Basic AA. DO know this.
*Acidic AA are Aspartic Acid and Glutamic Acid. Only AA with "Acid" appended to their names, not hard to memorize. DO know this.
*Cysteine contains sulfur and participates in covalent bonds known as Disulfide bridges.
*Proline has a unique structure that tends to disrupt secondary structure...it breaks alpha helices and beta sheets.
Knowing just the Acidic and Basic Amino Acids is probably as far as you need to memorize for specific ones (you should know the details re: proline, cysteine though).
