How to memorize amino acids

[MDtoBe777]

Hi. I'm taking biochem right now. I know you don't need to memorize the amino acids for the MCAT..but I do need to for my biochem class. Do any of you have good ways to memorize them or websites that could help?

Thanks.

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[Apparition]

Look for trends in their structure, memorize their general arrangment. Usually, it's only some groups that change. Then try to memorize those groups. One question on the August MCAt actually required knowledge of a structure of an amino acid.

 

[gatsbyjo]

Just did this for my MS1 biochem.

Make flash cards of JUST THE R GROUPS.

Then highlight the r group by a color corresponding to the following groups 1. nonpolar 2. polar 3. charged (note the charge)

Then start looking for patterns

Here are the easy ones

glycine--has no r group

proline- r group forms ring with n terminus

asparagine (sp?) and aspartate are identical except for one functional group

glutamine and glutamate are the same as Asn and Asp but are one carbon longer

threonine = THREE - OH- nine for a methyl group (THREE) and an oh (OH)

Cysteine sounds like Cy"sh"teine and has an "sh"

methionine is easy

Tryptophan is "W" (twiptophan...) and its ring structure makes a "w" shape

etc..... its cake once you make notecards and drill yourself a million times

histidine is cake

etc...

g'luck

 

[elonk]

Im in a biochem class right now myself.
This site was reccomended by the prof:http://www.indstate.edu/thcme/mwking/home.html

It is a good biochem primer
This one I found myself: http://www.biology.arizona.edu/biochemistry/biochemistry.html
This one is great specifically for learning amino acids. 👍 It even has two different interactive quizes to make sure you are getting it 😎

Hi. I'm taking biochem right now. I know you don't need to memorize the amino acids for the MCAT..but I do need to for my biochem class. Do any of you have good ways to memorize them or websites that could help?

Thanks.

 

[confewshz]

Im also taking biochem right now and find the following links to be god (in addition to those shown above):

This link is good for printing out and taking with you:
http://employees.csbsju.edu/hjakubowski/classes/ch331/protstructure/tableaminoacidstruct.htm

This link is good for learning the details (although you must have the chime plugin installed):
http://info.bio.cmu.edu/Courses/BiochemMols/AAViewer/AAVFrameset.htm

 

[group_theory]

A is for ALANINE, three carbons long;
C is for CYSTEINE, with a sulfhydryl prong.
D is ASPARTATE, a good proton source,
And E, GLUTAMATE, is one also, of course.

F, PHENYLALANINE, has benzene on board;
GLYCINE, or G, wins the small-size award.
H is for HISTIDINE. What a great buffer!
And water prompts I, ISOLEUCINE, to suffer.

K: LYSINE's high on the pKa scale;
L is for LEUCINE, with its long Y-shaped tail.
M is METHIONINE, that sulfury lout,
And N is ASPARAGINE, an amide, no doubt.

P: PROLINE flaunts its odd ring like a bride;
Q, GLUTAMINE, is another amide.
R, ARGININE, has four nitrogens in all.
And S is for SERINE, a petite alcohol.

T is for THREONINE, similar to S;
V is for VALINE. Aliphatic? Why, yes!
W -- that's TRYPTOPHAN -- has rings at the end,
And Y, TYROSINE, is the kinases' friend

 

[liverotcod]

Excellent, group_theory! Thanks. 👍

 

[jk5177]

Driving to school I will usually come across stree signs, and the remind me of one letter symbols for amino acids, and that's how I review for it.

For example, I'm stopped on a red light at the corner of Green St. and Oaks. So G is for glycine, R is for arginine, E is for Glutamic Acid, N is for Asparagine. O is for nothing. A is for alanine. K is for lysine. S is for Serine.

When I'm not familiar with one of the letters, I refer to my notecards on my right.

Hope this helps.