All 20 Amino acids visible in 3-D on a single page

This page displays the 20 proteinogenic amino acids - those normally involved in the synthesis of proteins - but there are many others with minor molecular differences.
Each molecular model is independently movable in any direction by mouse dragging, and extra information may be revealed by hovering your mouse over the name at the bottom.
Various links highlight molecular features in each section. Clicking on the name below will also bring up individual amino acids in a larger individual viewer.
Every amino acid has an amino group ( -NH2 : blue, with 2 whites) and a carboxylic acid group (-COOH : grey, with 2 reds and a white).
Each one also has a unique R group - 6 or 7 categories.

Start .. stop rotation
glycine - gly
alanine - ala
valine - val leucine - leu isoleucine - ile ALIPHATIC

These R groups are simple (linear) groups of carbon and hydrogen atoms
HYDROXY

These R groups have an extra -OH group (red and white)
serine - ser
threonine - thr
lysine - lys
histidine - his
arginine - arg
BASIC

These R groups contain extra N atoms which contribute basic (alkaline) characteristics
AROMATIC

These R groups have rings based on benzene
phenylalanine
- phe
tyrosine
- tyr
tryptophan
- trp
cysteine
- cys
methionine
- met
SULPHUR-
CONTAINING

These R groups contain sulphur!
DICARBOXYLIC
& AMIDES

These R groups contain -COOH or - CONH2 groups
aspartic acid
- asp
asparagine
- asn
glutamic acid
- glu
glutamine
- gln
proline
- pro
IMINO

The >NH group (blue dot in the ring) makes this an imino acid, not an amino acid
(not a property of the R group)
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