CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

protein    →   bjelančevina

Proteins are natural organic compounds of animal or herbal origin, essential in diet. They are natural polymers developed from a crowd of interconnecting monomers of amino acids, with relative molecular masses amounting up to a few million.

solution    →   otopina

Solutions are homogeneous mixtures of clean substances. Solutions contain two or more substances mixed in a state of molecular dispersion. Component which is found in solution in greater amount than other components is called a solvent and other components are called dissolved substances. Solution can be unsaturated, saturated and oversaturated.

surface tension    →   površinska napetost

Surface tension (σ) is a property of liquids arising from unbalanced molecular cohesive forces at or near the surface, as a result of which the surface tends to contract and has properties resembling those of a stretched elastic membrane. As a result of which the surface tends to contract and has properties resembling those of a stretched elastic membrane.

tesla    →   tesla

Tesla (T) is the SI derived unit of magnetic flux density. The tesla is magnetic flux density of a magnetic flux of one weber per square metre (T = Wb/m²). The unit was named after the Croatian scientist Nikola Tesla (1857-1943), equal to V s/m².

histidine    →   histidin

Histidine is an electrically charged amino acids with basic side chains. It is an essential amino acid, which means that humans cannot synthesize it, so it must be ingested. Histidine is perhaps the most common and versatile catalytic residue in proteins. The imidazole sidechain of histidine has a pKa of approximately 6.0. This means that, at physiologically relevant pH values, relatively small shifts in pH will change its average charge. The unprotonated imidazole is nucleophilic and can serve as a general base, while the protonated form can serve as a general acid. In addition, it is often a ligand for transition metal ions such as iron and zinc.

• Abbreviations: His, H
• IUPAC name: 2-amino-3-(1H-imidazol-5-yl)propanoic acid
• Molecular formula: C₆H₉N₃O₂
• Molecular weight: 155.15 g/mol

hydration    →   hidratacija

Hydration is addition of water or the elements of water (i.e. H and OH) to a molecular entity. The term is also used in a more restricted sense for the process:

isoleucine    →   izoleucin

Isoleucine is hydrophobic amino acids with aliphatic side chain. It is one of the three amino acids having branched hydrocarbon side chains. The side chains of these amino acids are not reactive but, these residues are critically important for ligand binding to proteins, and play central roles in protein stability. Isoleucine is an essential amino acid, which means that humans cannot synthesize it, so it must be ingested.

• Abbreviations: Ile, I
• IUPAC name: 2-amino-3-methylpentanoic acid
• Molecular formula: C₆H₁₃NO₂
• Molecular weight: 131.12 g/mol

unified atomic mass unit    →   unificirana atomska jedinica mase

Unified atomic mass unit (u or m_u) is a unit of mass used in atomic, molecular, and nuclear science, defined as the mass of one atom of ¹²C divided by 12. Its approximate value is

leucine    →   leucin

Leucine is hydrophobic amino acids with aliphatic side chain. It has one additional methylene group in its side chain compared with valine. The nonpolar hydrophobic amino acids tend to cluster together within proteins, stabilizing protein structure by means of hydrophobic interactions. Leucine is an essential amino acid, which means that humans cannot synthesize it, so it must be ingested.

• Abbreviations: Leu, L
• IUPAC name: 2-amino-4-methylpentanoic acid
• Molecular formula: C₆H₁₃NO₂
• Molecular weight: 131.17 g/mol

lysine    →   lizin

Lysine is an electrically charged amino acids with basic side chains. Lysine is a base, as are arginine and histidine. The amino group is highly reactive and often participates in reactions at the active centers of enzymes. Lysine plays an important role in coordinating negatively charged ligands. It is an essential amino acid, which means that humans cannot synthesize it, so it must be ingested.

• Abbreviations: Lys, K
• IUPAC name: 2,6-diaminohexanoic acid
• Molecular formula: C₆H₁₄N₂O₂
• Molecular weight: 146.19 g/mol