Download Amide Bond Formation

Amide Bond Formation
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Amide bonds form upon reaction of carboxylic acids with ammonia, primary amines or secondary amines.
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When amide bonds form between amino acids we call it a peptide bond.
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Amino Acids
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Proteins
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Proteins are polymers of amino acid monomers held together by peptide bonds.
Roles of proteins:
– Gene expression is due to proteins
– Almost all enzymes are proteins
– Many hormones are proteins or peptides
– Proteins form structural tissue
– Storage and transportation of many molecules is possible due to proteins (think back to passive transport of
hydrophilic molecules in and out of cells)
– The immune system uses proteins to identify and attack foreign invaders such as bacteria
Structure of proteins:
– Primary Structure: refers to the sequence of amino acids in a protein chain held together by amide bonds
(peptide bonds)
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Secondary Structure: refers to the regular and repeating spatial organization of neighboring segments of
protein chains (either the alpha-helix or the beta-sheet).
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