Question

Please give reason/reasons why the amino acid threonine is hydrophobic and state why threonine is more hydrophobic than aspartic acid. Use the chemistry of the amino acids to support your argument

Answer 1

Solution:- because in Threonine have 4 carbon atom with one methyl and two CH group. and as the number of carbon atom increases hydrophobic character increases and the on increasing the polar group like a carboxlic group the hydrophobic character decreases because it starts interacting with water.

So Aspartic acid has two carboxylic group which are highly polar they increase the polar character of the aspartic acid and reduces the hydrophobic nature but in threonine one hydroxyl group is present which is way less polar then carboxyl group and also aspartic acid exists zwitter-ionicnic form which further increases the polar characteristic.

This can be easily verified because . because of polar nature of aspartic acid, it maintains the solubility (in a polar environment like water) and ionic character of a protein . it also maintains the ph of protein .when protein co-ordinate to enzyme center. whereas threonine protectes the protein due to its high hydrophobic nature