The amino acids have these features in common: The carboxyl group. The amino group. (Proline is an imino acid.) The a-carbon. The b-carbon. (Glycine has no side-chain.) The side chain (or R-group). Reset Add a distance measure (in Å units). (A second click removes the distance.) Select "D-amino acids" for viewing on the left to compare the different stereochemistries. The structure diagrams used for the amino acid R-groups are based on this generalized a-amino acid structure (hydrogens not shown): It shows the carboxyl and amino groups (gray) and the R-group (red) attached to the a-carbon (black square). For each amino acid, only the R-group and the a-carbon are shown. For example, the structure shown at left corresponds to R = CH3. Return to image of L-Amino Acids.
Select "D-amino acids" for viewing on the left to compare the different stereochemistries.
The structure diagrams used for the amino acid R-groups are based on this generalized a-amino acid structure (hydrogens not shown): It shows the carboxyl and amino groups (gray) and the R-group (red) attached to the a-carbon (black square). For each amino acid, only the R-group and the a-carbon are shown. For example, the structure shown at left corresponds to R = CH3.
Return to image of L-Amino Acids.
