Final answer:
The statement is false. At neutral pH, acidic amino acids are negatively charged and basic amino acids are positively charged, with each having a specific isoelectric point where they are neutral.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is false. At a neutral pH (approximately 7.4), both acidic and basic amino acids do not become uncharged; instead, they exist in a state called a zwitterion, where they carry both a positive and negative charge on different parts of the molecule. Acidic amino acids, which have carboxyl side chains, and basic amino acids, which have amine side chains, have side chains that can be charged, depending on the pH of the solution.
Each amino acid has a specific isoelectric point (pI), which is the pH at which it exists in solution as a zwitterion with no net charge. Acidic amino acids have a pI well below 7.4, and basic amino acids have a pI above 7.4. Therefore, at pH 7.4, acidic amino acids carry a negative charge because they are above their isoelectric point, and basic amino acids carry a positive charge because this pH is below their isoelectric point. So, the correct statement would be that at neutral pH, acidic amino acids are negatively charged, and basic amino acids are positively charged.