Alpha-amino acids: core structure
Alpha-amino acids: core structure
An α\alphaα-amino acid has both the amino group and the carboxyl group attached to the same carbon atom, called the α\alphaα-carbon. Its general formula is H2N−CH(R)−COOHH_2N-CH(R)-COOHH2N−CH(R)−COOH, where RRR is the side chain that changes from one amino acid to another.