Reference
Amino acid reference
The twenty standard amino acids that make up peptides, with their one- and three-letter codes, average residue mass, charge class, and hydropathy. These are the same values the peptide property calculator uses under the hood.
| Amino acid | 3-letter | 1-letter | Residue mass | Class | Hydropathy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alanine | Ala | A | 71.08 Da | Nonpolar | +1.8 |
| Arginine | Arg | R | 156.19 Da | Basic (+) | −4.5 |
| Asparagine | Asn | N | 114.10 Da | Polar | −3.5 |
| Aspartic acid | Asp | D | 115.09 Da | Acidic (−) | −3.5 |
| Cysteine | Cys | C | 103.14 Da | Polar (thiol) | +2.5 |
| Glutamic acid | Glu | E | 129.12 Da | Acidic (−) | −3.5 |
| Glutamine | Gln | Q | 128.13 Da | Polar | −3.5 |
| Glycine | Gly | G | 57.05 Da | Nonpolar | −0.4 |
| Histidine | His | H | 137.14 Da | Basic (+) | −3.2 |
| Isoleucine | Ile | I | 113.16 Da | Nonpolar | +4.5 |
| Leucine | Leu | L | 113.16 Da | Nonpolar | +3.8 |
| Lysine | Lys | K | 128.17 Da | Basic (+) | −3.9 |
| Methionine | Met | M | 131.19 Da | Nonpolar | +1.9 |
| Phenylalanine | Phe | F | 147.18 Da | Aromatic | +2.8 |
| Proline | Pro | P | 97.12 Da | Nonpolar | −1.6 |
| Serine | Ser | S | 87.08 Da | Polar | −0.8 |
| Threonine | Thr | T | 101.11 Da | Polar | −0.7 |
| Tryptophan | Trp | W | 186.21 Da | Aromatic | −0.9 |
| Tyrosine | Tyr | Y | 163.18 Da | Aromatic, polar | −1.3 |
| Valine | Val | V | 99.13 Da | Nonpolar | +4.2 |
How to read the table
- 1- / 3-letterThe shorthand codes used to write sequences. A sequence like
GEPPPGKPADDAGLVis just these one-letter codes strung together. - Residue massThe mass each amino acid contributes inside a chain (its free-form mass minus the water lost when it bonds). Sum them and add one water to get a peptide's molecular weight.
- ClassThe side chain's character — nonpolar, polar, aromatic, basic (carries positive charge), or acidic (carries negative charge). This drives charge and solubility behavior.
- HydropathyHow water-repelling (+) or water-loving (−) the residue is, on the Kyte–Doolittle scale; averaging it across a sequence gives GRAVY.
Common questions
What's the difference between residue mass and the amino acid's molecular weight?
Residue mass is what the amino acid contributes once it's joined into a chain — its free molecular weight minus one water, lost when the peptide bond forms. Molecular weight of a whole peptide is the residue masses summed plus one water.
Why do only some amino acids carry a charge?
Only certain side chains ionize: aspartate and glutamate tend to carry a negative charge; lysine, arginine, and histidine a positive one. The rest are neutral. The balance at a given pH is what the property calculator's net-charge and pI figures track.
Are these monoisotopic or average masses?
Average — the mass weighted across natural isotopes, which is what's typically used for molecular weight. Monoisotopic masses (used in mass spectrometry) are slightly lower.