In nature, there are two groups of substances: organic and inorganic.The latter include compounds such as hydrocarbons, alkynes, alkenes, alcohols, lipids, and other nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids.What are these substances, we will cover in this article.The structure of organic compounds is sure to include atoms of Hydrogen and Carbon.They may also contain oxygenation, Sulfur, Nitrogen and other elements.The science that studies proteins, acids, oxides, amino acids - chemicals.It explores the properties and characteristics of each group of substances.
Amino acids - What are these substances?
They are very important for the body of any living creature on the planet, because they are part of the most important products - proteins.In total there are twenty-one amino acid from which these compounds are formed.The structure of each atom consists of Hydrogen, Nitrogen, carbon and oxygenation.The chemical structure of these substances has an amino group NH2, and from which comes the name.
How proteins are formed from amino acids?
These organic compounds are formed in four stages, their structure consists of primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures.From each of them depend on certain properties of the protein.Primary defines the number and order of placement of amino acids located in a polypeptide chain.Second is an alpha-helix or beta-structure.First formed as a result of twisting of the polypeptide chain and the occurrence of hydrogen bonds within the same.Second - for the cause of the relations between groups of atoms of different polypeptide chains.Tertiary structure - is interconnected alpha-helices and beta-structure.It can be of two kinds: globular and fibrillar.The first is a long thread.Proteins having such a structure are fibrin, myosin found in muscle tissue, as well as others.The second coil has the form, for globular proteins include, for example, insulin, hemoglobin, and many others.In the body of living creatures for the synthesis of proteins from amino acids correspond to the special cell organelles - the ribosome.Information about the proteins which must be generated, encoded in DNA and transferred to ribosomes by RNA.
What are amino acids?
Compounds of proteins which are formed, only in the nature of twenty-one.Some human body can be synthesized during metabolism (metabolism), while others - no.Generally, in nature there are amino acids: histidine, valine, lysine, isoleucine, leucine, threonine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, cysteine, tyrosine, arginine, alanine, glutamine, asparagine, glycine, proline, carnitine, ornithine, taurine, serine.The first nine of the above amino acids are essential.There are also uslovnonezamenimye - those that the body can use instead of the irreplaceable in extreme cases.This, for example, tyrosine, and cysteine.The first can be used in place of phenylalanine, and the second - if not methionine.Essential amino acids in foods - a prerequisite of a healthy diet.
What food do they contain?
- Valine - meat, fish.
- Histidine - buckwheat porridge, cereals, red fish, pork, poultry.
- Isoleucine - eggs, meat, fish, milk, cheese, cottage cheese.
- Leucine - the same as that of isoleucine.
- Methionine - cereals, peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, corn.
- Threonine - meat, cereals and mushrooms.
- tryptophan - turkey, rabbit, pork, mackerel.
- Phenylalanine - meat, beans, peas, lentils, soy, fish, cheese, milk, cheese.
All the other amino acids in foods consumed by humans can not be contained, because the body is able to produce them on their own, but still it is desirable that some of them came with the food.Most of the essential amino acids are contained in the same product as the essential, that is, meat, fish, milk - that food which is rich in protein.
role of each amino acid in the human body
Each of these substances in the body performs a specific function.The most necessary for the full life of the amino acids are essential, so it is important to use products with their content in a sufficient amount.Since the main building blocks of our body is a protein, it can be said that the most important and necessary substances are amino acids.What are the essential, now we'll tell you.As already described above, this group of amino acids include histidine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, threonine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan.Each of these chemical compounds plays a specific role in the body.For example, valine is required for proper growth, so foods high in its content must be contained in sufficient quantities in the diet of children, adolescents and athletes who want to increase the concentration of muscle mass.Histidine also fulfills an important role - involved in the process of tissue regeneration, is part of the hemoglobin (which is why a low content in his blood is recommended to increase the amount consumed buckwheat).Leucine is needed for the body to synthesize proteins, as well as to maintain the activity of the immune system at the right level.Lysine - not the substance in the body just will not absorb calcium, so you can not allow a lack of this amino acid - to include in your diet more fish, cheese and other dairy products.Tryptophan is needed to produce vitamin B, as well as the hormones that regulate hunger and mood.This material is part of the preparations conducive to calm and eliminate insomnia.Phenylalanine is used by the body to produce hormones such as tyrosine and adrenaline.This compound also may be included in medical preparations which are assigned with insomnia or depression.
amino acids in terms of chemistry
You already know that the components of proteins and vital substances to humans - is an amino acid.What are these compounds, we have already discussed, now we move on to their chemical properties.
chemical properties of amino acids
Each of them are a bit of personality, though they have in common.Since the composition of the amino acids may be different and include various chemical elements, and the properties are slightly different.Common to all substances of this group feature is the ability to condense to form peptides.Amino acids can react with nitrous acid, thereby forming a hydroxy acid, water and nitrogen.Additionally, they react with and alcohols.Thus there is formed hydrochloric salt of an ester and water.To this reaction requires the presence as catalyst of hydrochloric acid in the gaseous aggregate state.
How to reveal their presence?
to determine the presence of these substances, there are special qualitative reactions of amino acids.For example, to detect cysteine, add lead acetate, as well as using heat and alkaline conditions.In this should lead sulfide formed, which precipitates in black.Also, the number of amino acids in solution can be determined by adding nitrous acid.Learn it by volume of released nitrogen.
