biochemistry106 cardsCollege

Amino acid flashcards

106 free flashcards for the 20 amino acids: one- and three-letter codes both ways, side-chain classes and the nine essential ones, checked against IUPAC.

Every card checked against the sources below.

Download .txt

What’s in the deck

  • Codes, both ways: every one-letter and three-letter code, name to code and code to name.
  • Side-chain classes: which group each amino acid belongs to, aromatic ones included.
  • The essential nine: the amino acids your body can’t make, so food has to supply them.

Watch out: Histidine is grouped with the basic amino acids, but with a side-chain pKa near 6 it is mostly uncharged at pH 7.

How to study it

  • One direction at a time: learn name to letter first, then letter to name. The letters that don’t match the name (W for tryptophan, Y for tyrosine) are the ones to drill.
  • A few minutes on spaced days beats one long session. The guide to memorizing the amino acids has the full table, the reasons behind the odd letters and a day-by-day schedule.

All 106 cards, with answers

  1. 1
    What is the one-letter code for Alanine?
    A
  2. 2
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code A?
    Alanine
  3. 3
    What is the three-letter code for Alanine?
    Ala
  4. 4
    What is the biochemical classification of the Alanine side chain?
    Nonpolar, aliphatic
  5. 5
    Is Alanine considered a nutritionally essential or non-essential amino acid in adult humans?
    Non-essential
  6. 6
    What is the one-letter code for Arginine?
    R
  7. 7
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code R?
    Arginine
  8. 8
    What is the three-letter code for Arginine?
    Arg
  9. 9
    What is the biochemical classification of the Arginine side chain?
    Positively charged (basic)
  10. 10
    What is the one-letter code for Asparagine?
    N
  11. 11
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code N?
    Asparagine
  12. 12
    What is the three-letter code for Asparagine?
    Asn
  13. 13
    What is the biochemical classification of the Asparagine side chain?
    Polar uncharged
  14. 14
    What is the one-letter code for Aspartate (Aspartic acid)?
    D
  15. 15
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code D?
    Aspartate (Aspartic acid)
  16. 16
    What is the three-letter code for Aspartate (Aspartic acid)?
    Asp
  17. 17
    What is the biochemical classification of the Aspartate side chain?
    Negatively charged (acidic)
  18. 18
    What is the one-letter code for Cysteine?
    C
  19. 19
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code C?
    Cysteine
  20. 20
    What is the three-letter code for Cysteine?
    Cys
  21. 21
    What is the biochemical classification of the Cysteine side chain?
    Polar uncharged
  22. 22
    What is the one-letter code for Glutamate (Glutamic acid)?
    E
  23. 23
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code E?
    Glutamate (Glutamic acid)
  24. 24
    What is the three-letter code for Glutamate (Glutamic acid)?
    Glu
  25. 25
    What is the biochemical classification of the Glutamate side chain?
    Negatively charged (acidic)
  26. 26
    What is the one-letter code for Glutamine?
    Q
  27. 27
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code Q?
    Glutamine
  28. 28
    What is the three-letter code for Glutamine?
    Gln
  29. 29
    What is the biochemical classification of the Glutamine side chain?
    Polar uncharged
  30. 30
    What is the one-letter code for Glycine?
    G
  31. 31
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code G?
    Glycine
  32. 32
    What is the three-letter code for Glycine?
    Gly
  33. 33
    What is the biochemical classification of the Glycine side chain?
    Nonpolar, aliphatic
  34. 34
    What is the one-letter code for Histidine?
    H
  35. 35
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code H?
    Histidine
  36. 36
    What is the three-letter code for Histidine?
    His
  37. 37
    What is the biochemical classification of the Histidine side chain?
    Positively charged (basic)
  38. 38
    Is Histidine an essential amino acid in adult humans?
    Yes
  39. 39
    What is the one-letter code for Isoleucine?
    I
  40. 40
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code I?
    Isoleucine
  41. 41
    What is the three-letter code for Isoleucine?
    Ile
  42. 42
    What is the biochemical classification of the Isoleucine side chain?
    Nonpolar, aliphatic
  43. 43
    Is Isoleucine an essential amino acid in adult humans?
    Yes
  44. 44
    What is the one-letter code for Leucine?
    L
  45. 45
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code L?
    Leucine
  46. 46
    What is the three-letter code for Leucine?
    Leu
  47. 47
    What is the biochemical classification of the Leucine side chain?
    Nonpolar, aliphatic
  48. 48
    Is Leucine an essential amino acid in adult humans?
    Yes
  49. 49
    What is the one-letter code for Lysine?
    K
  50. 50
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code K?
    Lysine
  51. 51
    What is the three-letter code for Lysine?
    Lys
  52. 52
    What is the biochemical classification of the Lysine side chain?
    Positively charged (basic)
  53. 53
    Is Lysine an essential amino acid in adult humans?
    Yes
  54. 54
    What is the one-letter code for Methionine?
    M
  55. 55
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code M?
    Methionine
  56. 56
    What is the three-letter code for Methionine?
    Met
  57. 57
    What is the biochemical classification of the Methionine side chain?
    Nonpolar, aliphatic
  58. 58
    Is Methionine an essential amino acid in adult humans?
    Yes
  59. 59
    What is the one-letter code for Phenylalanine?
    F
  60. 60
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code F?
    Phenylalanine
  61. 61
    What is the three-letter code for Phenylalanine?
    Phe
  62. 62
    What is the biochemical classification of the Phenylalanine side chain?
    Aromatic (nonpolar)
  63. 63
    Is Phenylalanine an essential amino acid in adult humans?
    Yes
  64. 64
    What is the one-letter code for Proline?
    P
  65. 65
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code P?
    Proline
  66. 66
    What is the three-letter code for Proline?
    Pro
  67. 67
    What is the biochemical classification of the Proline side chain?
    Nonpolar, aliphatic (cyclic)
  68. 68
    What is the one-letter code for Serine?
    S
  69. 69
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code S?
    Serine
  70. 70
    What is the three-letter code for Serine?
    Ser
  71. 71
    What is the biochemical classification of the Serine side chain?
    Polar uncharged
  72. 72
    What is the one-letter code for Threonine?
    T
  73. 73
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code T?
    Threonine
  74. 74
    What is the three-letter code for Threonine?
    Thr
  75. 75
    What is the biochemical classification of the Threonine side chain?
    Polar uncharged
  76. 76
    Is Threonine an essential amino acid in adult humans?
    Yes
  77. 77
    What is the one-letter code for Tryptophan?
    W
  78. 78
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code W?
    Tryptophan
  79. 79
    What is the three-letter code for Tryptophan?
    Trp
  80. 80
    What is the biochemical classification of the Tryptophan side chain?
    Aromatic
  81. 81
    Is Tryptophan an essential amino acid in adult humans?
    Yes
  82. 82
    What is the one-letter code for Tyrosine?
    Y
  83. 83
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code Y?
    Tyrosine
  84. 84
    What is the three-letter code for Tyrosine?
    Tyr
  85. 85
    What is the biochemical classification of the Tyrosine side chain?
    Aromatic (polar)
  86. 86
    Is Tyrosine an essential amino acid in adult humans?
    No
  87. 87
    What is the one-letter code for Valine?
    V
  88. 88
    Which amino acid is represented by the one-letter code V?
    Valine
  89. 89
    What is the three-letter code for Valine?
    Val
  90. 90
    What is the biochemical classification of the Valine side chain?
    Nonpolar, aliphatic
  91. 91
    Is Valine an essential amino acid in adult humans?
    Yes
  92. 92
    The branched-chain essential amino acids are _____, Leucine, and Isoleucine.
    Valine
  93. 93
    The branched-chain essential amino acids are Valine, _____, and Isoleucine.
    Leucine
  94. 94
    The branched-chain essential amino acids are Valine, Leucine, and _____.
    Isoleucine
  95. 95
    The sulfur-containing standard amino acids are _____ and Cysteine.
    Methionine
  96. 96
    The sulfur-containing standard amino acids are Methionine and _____.
    Cysteine
  97. 97
    The three standard amino acids with aromatic rings in their side chains are _____, Tyrosine, and Tryptophan.
    Phenylalanine
  98. 98
    The three standard amino acids with aromatic rings in their side chains are Phenylalanine, _____, and Tryptophan.
    Tyrosine
  99. 99
    The three standard amino acids with aromatic rings in their side chains are Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, and _____.
    Tryptophan
  100. 100
    The three standard amino acids classed as basic (positively charged side chains; histidine only partly at pH 7) are _____, Arginine, and Histidine.
    Lysine
  101. 101
    The three standard amino acids classed as basic (positively charged side chains; histidine only partly at pH 7) are Lysine, _____, and Histidine.
    Arginine
  102. 102
    The three standard amino acids classed as basic (positively charged side chains; histidine only partly at pH 7) are Lysine, Arginine, and _____.
    Histidine
  103. 103
    The two standard amino acids with negatively charged (acidic) carboxylate side chains at neutral pH are _____ and Glutamate.
    Aspartate
  104. 104
    The two standard amino acids with negatively charged (acidic) carboxylate side chains at neutral pH are Aspartate and _____.
    Glutamate
  105. 105
    Among the aromatic amino acids, only _____ and Tryptophan are nutritionally essential, whereas tyrosine is non-essential.
    Phenylalanine
  106. 106
    Among the aromatic amino acids, only Phenylalanine and _____ are nutritionally essential, whereas tyrosine is non-essential.
    Tryptophan

Studying in Anki or Quizlet?

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learn it before you drill it

The guide behind this deck: the full list, the tricks that make it stick and a schedule.

memorize it

How to memorize the 20 amino acids (names, codes and side chains)

All 20 amino acids with three- and one-letter codes, side-chain groups and the nine essential ones, the official reasons behind the odd letters, and a free deck.

106 flashcards6 min

Checked against

  1. Nomenclature and Symbolism for Amino Acids and Peptides: one-letter symbols (3AA-21), IUPAC-IUB Joint Commission on Biochemical Nomenclature
  2. Organic Chemistry, 26.1 Structures of Amino Acids, OpenStax
  3. Amino acids, MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
  4. AP Biology Course and Exam Description, College Board
  5. What's on the MCAT Exam? Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems (PDF), AAMC
  6. Everything you need to know about amino acids for the MCAT, Blueprint Prep
  7. How to memorize amino acids, Pearson Channels
  8. Memorizing amino acids: tips, tricks and mnemonics, Dorothy Memory App
  9. Distributed Practice in Verbal Recall Tasks (Cepeda et al., 2006), Psychological Bulletin

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