sickle cell anemia is caused by a single amino acid substitution at the sixth am

Question

sickle cell anemia is caused by a single amino acid substitution at the sixth amino acid residue in the B- chains of hemoglobin where in a glutamate is replaced by a valine due to a point mutation in the B- globin gene. this amino acid subtitution results in an altered hemoglobin sturcture that causes aggregation/ crystallization of hemoglobin molecules in red blood cells, which leads to red blood cells deformation. from the list below suggest two amino acid substitution that would less likely than valine to cause impairment of hemoglobin function if substitutedfor glutamate at postion 6 pf the B-globin peptide Explain your choices, (Arginine, serine, glycine, propline, aspartate, tryptophan,

Explanation / Answer

Glutamate is a hydrophilic amino acid due to it's ability to have a net ionic charge from its side chains. Therefore only the substitution of other hydrophilic amino acids would be less likely to disrupt hemoglobin function and cause aggregation compared to hydrophobic amino acids like valine. Of the 6 amino acid choices, only arginine and aspartate are hydrophilic.

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