Question

You mix two amino acids together: glu and ser. If they reacted, how many different dipeptides would you expect to get? List them.

I'm really struggling with amino acids, so any help is appreciated! I won't be clicking any links, though.​

Answer 1

When mixing glutamic acid (glu) and serine (ser), two different dipeptides can form: glu-ser and ser-glu. The order of the amino acids in the peptide chain determines the uniqueness of the dipeptides produced.

Step-by-step explanation:

When you mix two amino acids like glutamic acid (glu) and serine (ser), they can form a dipeptide through a dehydration synthesis reaction. The two possible dipeptides you would get are glutamic acid-serine (glu-ser) and serine-glutamic acid (ser-glu). Each of these dipeptides is unique because the sequence of amino acids in a peptide chain determines its identity and properties.

Thus, you can expect two different dipeptides from mixing glu and ser, highlighting the specificity that peptide bonds confer to dipeptides and larger proteins.