Outcome 1
Literature Research
My research topic – Determination of the amino acids present in the fruit juices.
What is an amino Acid?
An Amino Acid is a basic organic compound containing both a carboxyl and an amine group
H O N – X – C
H OH
What makes all amino acids different?
In amino acids, it is the section between the two function groups ( represented by x in the above diagram ) that makes each amino acid different.
How many are there? What is an essential amino acid?
Scientists have discovered over fifty amino acids but only twenty are used in the body to make proteins. Nine of this twenty are called essential amino acids which we give ourselves from our food and the other eleven are made by the body itself.
The 9 Essential amino acids
Phenylalanine
Methionine
Histidine
Tryptophan
Isoleucine
Arginine
Threonine
Lysine
Leucine
What is their function in the body? Amino acids are important in our diet because they have so many different functions. One of the main uses of amino acids is that they are the building blocks that make proteins. Proteins are lchains of amino Acids linked together by peptide bonds making up our muscles, organs, nails, hair and many other necessary part for every living body.
Vitamins and minerals are regulated by amino acids making sure they are performing properly, also enzymes and hormones that catalyse all chemical reactions in our body are proteins. Most importantly our genetic code
The human body is an incredible system that is capable of working a multitude of diverse functions. Without the help of the many different protein molecules, the human body would not be able to function properly. One major group of proteins called enzymes are mandatory for essential life. These proteins are constantly at work assembling molecules, metabolizing energy, and fighting off infections. An enzyme is a macromolecule that acts as a catalyst that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed by the reaction. Without these proteins, these reactions would take place too slowly to keep us alive. Essential parts in your body like vitamins and minerals cannot do any work without
Carbohydrates: any of a class of organic compounds that are polyhydroxy aldehydes or polyhydroxy ketones, or change to such substances on simple chemical transformations, as hydrolysis, oxidation, or reduction, and that form the supporting tissues of plants and are important food for animals and people.
a. Proteins- macromolecules made of amino acids. Proteins have many functions in the body. Some sources of proteins are whole-grain cereals, dark breads,rice, beans, and meat.
Proteins are important for the human body. Proteins play many important roles in the body including the structure of enzymes; these are important proteins that help reactions occur in the body, such as releasing from the food we eat. Proteins also function as transport proteins such as hemoglobin; an iron
Amino acids can be used to synthesize proteins for cellular structure; for energy; and to synthesize proteins that function in various body processes.
Proteins are complex structures made up of chains of amino acids. Each protein has a different function such as enzymes to catalyze reactions or protein hormones to trigger certain functions of a cell. First let’s start with the most basic component of a protein: an amino acid. An amino acid is made up of a central carbon atom attached to a hydrogen atom, a carboxyl group, an amino group, and an R group which varies
Amino Acids are essential nutrients that are the primary building blocks of proteins found in meat, dairy products, and legumes. Proteins make up 20 percent of the human body, and the amino acids that make up these proteins play a critical
There are many types of foods, nutrients, and minerals that are important to the body, and the ones that will be covered in this paper are electrolytes, carbohydrates, and proteins. The items listed above are vital to body functions in many ways; for example, electrolytes necessary for proper muscle contraction (Nordqvist 2013). Proteins are essentially what allow our bodies to function as they do, and carbohydrates provide us with the energy that allows it to function. Our body is an amazing and intricate machine, and that’s basically what it is -- a well-oiled machine. In this adventure we will discover what makes our bodies work the way they do, what moves the figurative cogs of our body, and what makes us tick inside.
The amino acids bond together in bonds called peptide bonds. A chain of amino acids is called a polypeptide chain. The structure in which the amino acids are bonded determines the function of the protein. There are about twenty different amino acids, but there is a wide variety of possible combinations that amino acids can bond, therefore proteins have quite a lot of functions. Some things proteins are used for are the building of the muscles, tendons, organs, glands, nails, and hair. There are many more different functions for proteins. To detect proteins in test materials, there is an identifying agent called Biuret Solution which when mixed with the test material. It turns purple if it contains a protein. The darker the violet color, the more concentrated it is with protein.
They are made up of amino acids (consists of amino group, carboxyl group, hydrogen atom, and R group). Polypeptide bonds form between amino acids to form polypeptide chains. Amino acid sequence is primary protein structure. The secondary structure is the bonding pattern of the amino acids (e.g. helix, sheet, etc.). The tertiary structure consists of the domain, where the sheets or helixes fold on each other and become stable. The quaternary structure consists of several polypeptide chains that form advanced proteins such as human leukocyte
In choosing branched chain amino acids for my ergogenic aid project, I took a few different things into account. When looking at the list provided to our class for this project, I told myself that I wanted a challenge. I wanted to work on a topic that I knew very little about to begin with. Some of the choices off of the ergogenic aid list seemed to easy and broad. Options such as protein and alcohol would seem to be rather easy and bland. To begin with, I had heard of amino acids and branched chain amino acids. However, I knew next to nothing about them. Instead of covering the broad topic of all the amino acids, this topic allowed myself to go deeper
The second neurotransmitter family includes amino acids, compounds that contain both an amino group (NH2) and a carboxylic acid group (COOH) and which are also the building blocks of peptides and proteins. The amino acids known to serve as neurotransmitters are glycine, glutamic and aspartic acids, all present in all proteins, and gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), produced only in brain neurons. Glutamic acid and GABA are the most abundant neurotransmitters within the central nervous system, particularly in the cerebral cortex; glutamic acid tends to be excitatory and GABA inhibitory. Aspartic acid and glycine subserve these functions in the spinal cord (Cooper, Bloom, and Roth 1996).
Proteins are made of amino acids, which are compounds built around a central carbon atom. Amino acids then join together through dehydration reactions. These are called peptide bonds. Many amino acids joined together are called polypeptides. A polypeptide becomes a protein when it folds into a three dimensional structure. This is the primary structure of a protein. The next structure in the hierarchy is the secondary structure. Secondary structures can either form alpha helixes, where an amino acid sequence forces the polypeptide to twist into a helical shape; or beta sheets, where an amino acid sequence forces the polypeptide into a zigzag shape. In the tertiary structure, the polypeptide folds several times on itself to form a more complex three dimensional shape. A quaternary structure is when two tertiary structures interact with each other. This is when a protein becomes a functional
The right combinations of food help to guarantee that the food an individual consumes is complete in its nutritional content of proteins, such as combining vegetables and grains that separately have incomplete proteins but together provide complete proteins (Grosvenor & Smolin, 2012). Out of the 20 amino acids the human body needs, only 11 of those are produced in the liver. The remaining amino acids must come from protein sources. If the consumption of grain and vegetables continues to occur together complete protein will continue to be part of a healthy diet.
The Functions of Proteins Introduction Protein accounts for about three-fourths of the dry matter in human tissues other than fat and bone. It is a major structural component of hair, skin, nails, connective tissues, and body organs. It is required for practically every essential function in the body. Proteins are made from the following elements; carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and often sulphur and phosphorus.