Organic Chemistry III

Professor Carl C. Wamser

Homework, Chapter 28

Carey, pages 1189 - 1191 :

Problems 28.14 - 22


1. Sickle cell anemia is a genetic defect in the structure of hemoglobin, in which just one amino acid is altered. One glutamic acid is replaced by a valine. Describe why this change could be so serious for the protein tertiary structure.

Suggest a possible code in the DNA that might have been altered in order to read Val instead of Glu.

2. Some codons can be deduced from simple homopolynucleic acids, e.g., poly-A. Explain.

Identify the four amino acid codes that can be deduced this way.