Fundamentals of Biochemistry: Life at the Molecular Level 5th Edition

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 1118918401
ISBN 13: 978-1-11891-840-1

Chapter 9 - Lipids and Biological Membranes - Exercises - Page 291: 30

Answer

Transmembrane domain of a protein is the domain of that protein which is spanning the plasma membrane of a cell. Transmembrane domain of a protein is usually made up of alpha helice and this helix contains those amino acids which are hydrophobic. Hydrophobic amino acids are: Threonine (T) Asparagine (N) Tyrosine (Y) Serine (S) Aspartic acid (D) Glutamic acid (E) Cysteine (C) Glutamine (Q) Arginine (R) Histidine (H) Additionally there are amino acids which are ampipathic and these can also be present in transmembrane domain. These are Lysine (K) Tryptophan (W) Methionine (M) So when we look at the given sequence, from Amino acid position 16 where there's W (Tryptophan) to amino acid position 35 where there's N (Asparagine) have almost repeatedly those amino acids which are hydrophobic. Thus this stretch of amino acid is most probably the part of the Alpha helix.

Work Step by Step

Transmembrane domain of a protein is the domain of that protein which is spanning the plasma membrane of a cell. Transmembrane domain of a protein is usually made up of alpha helice and this helix contains those amino acids which are hydrophobic. Hydrophobic amino acids are: Threonine (T) Asparagine (N) Tyrosine (Y) Serine (S) Aspartic acid (D) Glutamic acid (E) Cysteine (C) Glutamine (Q) Arginine (R) Histidine (H) Additionally there are amino acids which are ampipathic and these can also be present in transmembrane domain. These are Lysine (K) Tryptophan (W) Methionine (M) So when we look at the given sequence, from Amino acid position 16 where there's W (Tryptophan) to amino acid position 35 where there's N (Asparagine) have almost repeatedly those amino acids which are hydrophobic. Thus this stretch of amino acid is most probably the part of the Alpha helix.
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