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Structures and names for amino acids to memorize. Che255 Gustavus Adolphus College
Typology: Cheat Sheet
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A list of tricks to help you remember the amino acids
Structures Names (letter code) Side chain features/description
Aliphatic
Glycine (G) hydrogen for R, most simple, optically inactive
Alanine (A) methyl for R, a simple functional group to start just like “A” (in alanine) starts the alphabet
Valine (V) simple again, but shaped like the “V” in its name
Leucine (L) valine extended by one methylene
Isoleucine (I) lopsided valine....?
Proline (P) 3 carbon chain to proline’s own nitrogen, structurally “special” and found in turns
Sulfur-containing
Methionine (M) special - starts every protein, 3 carbons with a thioether; methyl-blocked sulfhydryl...?
Cysteine (C) “ sulfhydryl alanine,” reactive, can form disulfides
Aromatic H COOH NH 2
Phenylalanine (F) alanine with a phenol group which you KNOW is aromatic, the “Y” in phenyl can remind you which 3 amino acids with names beginning with T (the “T”s) are aromatics
Tyrosine (Y) hydroxylated phenylalanine, one of 3 “T”s that has “Y” in its name so it is an aromatic
Tryptophan (W) one of 3 “T”s with a “Y” so it is aromatic, will “tryp” you up because it is hard to remember, has a 3 carbon start to N (or indole ring on methylene )
Aliphatic hydroxyl
Serine (S) “ hydroxyl alanine”
Threonine (T) one of 3 “T”s, without “Y” so aliphatic (also its symbol is the first letter of its name like the other aliphatics), its “threo” parts are methyl , hydroxyl , and hydrogen on a single C