Structure Of Amino Acids

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Structure of Amino Acids

Stereoisomerism of Amino Acids
Classification of Amino Acids
Amino Acids as Electrolytes
Absorption spectrum of Amino Acids

Stereoisomerism of Amino Acids

All naturally occurring α amino acids (except glycine) have an α -carbon which is chiral (C-2), hence they are optically active and belong to L-series. The α- carbon being asymmetric can exhibit two stereoisomers, i.e., (–) levorotatory and (+) dextrorotatory. However, all L-amino acids are not levorotatory, some are dextro- and other are levorotatory .Alanine has L-configuration but is dextrorotatory (+).

L- and D- configuration are mirror images of each other and cannot be super- imposed on another. They are said to be each enantiomorphic isomers or enantiomers.
Some amino acid such as L-threonine have more than one asymmetric carbon atom, and hence can be represented in four possible stereoisomers.

Out to these compounds, only L-threonine occurs in proteins. D- and L- threonine have similar behaviour and are called diastereoisomers.

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