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Which of the following amino acids has a net negative charge at physiologic pH (~7.4)?

- Glutamic Acid
- Histidine
- Asparagine
- Lysine

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Glutamic acid has a net negative charge at physiological pH (~7.4) because its side chain's carboxylic acid group ionizes to an anion. Other listed amino acids like asparagine and histidine are neutral, while lysine is positively charged.

Step-by-step explanation:

The amino acid that has a net negative charge at physiologic pH (~7.4) is Glutamic Acid. This is because the side chains of acidic amino acids such as glutamic acid and aspartic acid contain carboxylic acid groups (-COOH) that ionize to form anions (-COO-) under physiological conditions, leading to a net negative charge. While asparagine and histidine do not carry a net negative charge at this pH, histidine is neutral, and asparagine has a neutral amide group. Lysine, being a basic amino acid with a primary amine group in its side chain, will be positively charged at physiological pH.

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