question archive The substitution of which of the following functional groups would change the identity of an amino acid? The carboxylic acid The alpha cation The R group The amino group
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The substitution of which of the following functional groups would change the identity of an amino acid?
The carboxylic acid
The alpha cation
The R group
The amino group
The substitution of the R group is what changes the identity of the amino acid.
Every amino acid, regardless of its identity, has a basic structure. This consists of the central alpha carbon atom (the alpha cation), the amino group (NH2), the carboxylic acid group (COOH), as well a hydrogen atom. The R group (side chain) is what identifies the amino acid; each amino acid has a unique R group.