The Biology Project > Biochemistry > The Chemistry of Amino Acids

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Histidine H (His)

Chemical Properties:     Basic (Basic group)	Physical Properties:     Polar (positively charged)
Histidine, an essential amino acid, has as a positively charged imidazole functional group. The imidazole makes it a common participant in enzyme catalyzed reactions. The unprotonated imidazole is nucleophilic and can serve as a general base, while the protonated form can serve as a general acid. The residue can also serve a role in stabilizing the folded structures of proteins.

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The Biology Project > Biochemistry > The Chemistry of Amino Acids

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