The N Terminal in a Protein

Question

The N terminal in a protein
A)is the end characterized by a free carboxyl group.
B)is the end characterized by a free amino group.
C)is typically found in the middle of a protein.
D)refers to that area of a protein that is bound to another protein.

Accepted Answer

The N terminal of a protein is the end characterized by a free amino group. This is because proteins are composed of amino acids, which have an amino group (-NH2) at one end and a carboxyl group (-COOH) at the other end. When amino acids are linked together to form a protein, the carboxyl group of one amino acid binds to the amino group of the next amino acid, forming a peptide bond. The end of the protein that has a free amino group is therefore called the N terminal, while the end that has a free carboxyl group is called the C terminal.