Consider the following data for a hypothetical basic amino acid. pK_a
3) 15
8) 22
10) 93
What is the pI of this substance?

Question

Consider the following data for a hypothetical basic amino acid. pK_a 3)15 8)22 10)93 What is the pI of this substance?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The pI (isoelectric point) of a basic amino acid is calculated by averaging the pKa values of the amino group (usually the highest pKa value) and the side chain group if it is basic. Here, the given pKa values are 3, 8, and 10.93. The highest value (10.93) corresponds to the amino group, and the next highest value (8) likely corresponds to the basic side chain. Thus, the pI is the average of 8 and 10.93, which is (8 + 10.93)/2 = 9.465, rounded to 9.58.

Consider the Following Data for a Hypothetical Basic Amino Acid