BIOCHEMISTRY [full, taking replacements]

[Ser Arthur Dayne]

/confirm

The image is just dna (via x-ray diffraction).

[Ser Arthur Dayne]

bonus points given for getting the answer right

bonus points taken away for qualifying it with "just"

Lol in underground my Biochem I professor who focused on proteins told us "In Biochem II they will try to teach you about DNA and RNA, but realize those are boring and works of the devil, proteins are the fun part".

[Ser Arthur Dayne]

Here is my way of remembering the amino acids that might help someone in need!

Spoiler:

Once you remember these easy acronyms it becomes super easy to recall!

GAVLIP PTT STCMAG LAH AG

First section we have:
G - Glycine (G)
A - Alanine (A)
V - Valine (V)
L - Leucine (L)
I - Isoleucine (I)
P - Proline (P)

These are all hydrophobic aliphatic. They are ordered with increasing size. In addition, all of these amino acids have their 1 letter code abbreviation the same at the first letter they begin with.

Next we have the aromatic hydrophobic amino acids:

P - Phenylalanine (F)
T - Tyrosine (Y)
T - Tryptophan (W)

These first letter codes are a little more confusing than simply their first letter. For Phenylalanine remember the beginning sound Ph makes "F" sound. That's also the 1 letter abbreviation! Tyrosine has the second letter Y. And Tryptophan has 2 rings in it, making a "W" shape.

We then have the (mostly) polar amino acids that have a functional group attached. They are arranged with same functional groups next to each other.

S - Serine (S)
T - Threonine (T)
C - Cysetine (C)
M - Methionine (M)*
A - Asparagine (N)
G - Glutamine (Q)

Serine and Threonine both have -OH functional group. Cysetine and Methionine both have sulfurs. And Asparagine and Glutamine both have amide functional group. Note *Methionine is non-polar.

We're almost done! We then have the charged amino acids, basic (LAH) and acidic (AG).

L - Lysine (K)
A - Arginine (R)
H - Histidine (H)

Lysine reminds me of the word "lyse", which means to undergo "lysis" (cell breaking down of membrane and rupturing). So I remember Lysine~Lysis=(K)ill. R is for Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrginine. And Histidine is just H.

A - Aspartic acid (D)
G - Glutamic acid (E)