Addition of 0.050 M NaOH to a protein solution would have the most profound effect on which of the listed amino acids?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Aspartic acid is an acidic amino acid with a negatively charged side chain at neutral pH. Addition of NaOH, a strong base, would react with the acidic side chain of aspartic acid and result in deprotonation (loss of a proton) of the side chain, leading to a net increase in negative charge on the molecule. This would have the most profound effect on aspartic acid compared to the other amino acids listed.