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AAT Bioquest

Are all zwitterions pH neutral?

Posted November 8, 2022


Answer

Zwitterions are mostly pH neutral. This is because of the presence of both positive and negative charges. The opposing charges in the same molecule balances each other out, resulting in the zwitterion becoming electrically neutral. Every zwitterion has an isoelectric point, which is the pH value at which the charge in the molecule is neutral. A zwitterion can acquire a positive or negative charge if an acid or base is added to the solution that contains a zwitterion. 

Additional resources

Weak Acid pH Calculator

Dye to Peptide Conjugation

iFluor® 350 succinimidyl ester

A Proline-Based Neuraminidase Inhibitor: DFT Studies on the Zwitterion Conformation, Stability and Formation