Alanine is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids.

It is hydrophobic, with a methyl group side chain, and is the second-smallest of the 20 after glycine. Alanine is a nonessential amino acid that is involved in the metabolism of tryptophan and the vitamin pyridoxine. It is one of the most widely used amino acids in protein construction, averaging about 9 percent of average protein composition. Alanine is found in prostate fluid, and may play an important role in prostate health. ources of alanine are meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products, and fish. Arginine is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids on Earth, and coded for by DNA. In non-hepatic tissues, arginine can be biosynthesized by the ornithine cycle. E en so, arginine is often classed as one of the !0 essential amino acids. "his need e idently is restricted to children. ---Arginine plays an important role in cell di ision, the healing of #ounds, remo ing ammonia from the body, immune function, and the release of hormones. It can be found in many foods such as meat, poultry, dairy products, and fish. "he body also uses arginine to produce nitric o$ide, #hich rela$es blood essels. %or this reason, it has been used to treat cardio ascular disorders such as heart failure, intermittent claudication, impotence, female se$ual dysfunction, and interstitial cystitis.

Asparagine is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids on Earth. Asparagine is closely related to aspartic acid. It is an important constituent in many plant proteins. In the li er,asparagine is in ol ed con erting one amino acid to another. Asparagine helps maintain an e&uilibrium of the central ner ous system and has therapeutic properties, but is to$ic #hen used in e$cess. It is most commonly found in poultry, dairy, eggs, and beef. A byproduct of the brea'do#n of asparagine (asparagine-amino-succinic-acid monoamide) is also blamed for the smell in some people*s urine after they ha e eaten asparagus. (+ome scientists disagree and implicate other substances in the smell, especially methyl mercaptan.) Aspartic acid or aspartate is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids. As its name indicates, it is acidic, #ith a carbo$ylic acid component to its side chain. It is non-essential in mammals, and appears to ser e as a neurotransmitter. It is also used in the urea cycle. Cysteine

is a naturally occurring hydrophilic (,#ater lo ing,) amino acid #hich has a sulfhydryl (+-) group and is found in most proteins. .hen it is e$posed to air it o$idizes to form cystine, #hich is t#o cysteine molecules /oined by a disulfide bond. 0ne molecule of #ater (-20) is the byproduct from the creation of each molecule of cystine. 1ysteine aids in 2hase II Deto$ification path#ay in the li er. 1ysteine also aids the metabolism of biochemicals such as heparin, biotin, coenzyme A and glutathione. 1ysteine is plentiful in amaranth, cottage cheese, fish, poultry, shellfish, and soy products Glutamic acid or glutamate is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids. As its name indicates, it is acidic, #ith a carbo$ylic acid component to its side chain. 3lutamic acid is critical for proper cell function, but it is not considered an essential nutrient in humans because the body can manufacture it from simpler compounds. In addition to being one of the building bloc's in protein synthesis, it is also important in rain function, as an e$citatory neurotransmitter and as a precursor for the synthesis of 3A4A in 3A4Aergic neurons. 3lutamate acti ates both ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate receptors. "he ionotropic ones being non-N5DA (A52A and 'ainate) and N5DA receptors. %ree glutamic acid cannot cross the blood-brain barrier in appreciable &uantities6 instead it is con erted into 7-glutamine, #hich the brain uses for fuel and protein synthesis. Glycine is a nonpolar amino acid. It is the simplest of the 20 natural amino acids6 its side chain is a hydrogen atom. 4ecause there is a second hydrogen atom at the 8 carbon, glycine is not optically acti e. +ince glycine has such a small side chain, it can fit into many places #here no other amino acid can. %or e$ample, only glycine can be the internal amino acid of a collagen heli$. 3lycine is ery e olutionarily stable at certain positions of some proteins (for e$ample, in cytochrome c, myoglobin, and hemoglobin), because mutations that change it to an amino acid #ith a larger side chain could brea' the protein*s structure. 5ost proteins contain only small &uantities of glycine. A notable e$ception is collagen, #hich is about one-third glycine. In !99: a team of astronomers from the ;ni ersity of Illinois, led by 7e#is +nyder, claimed that they had found the glycine molecules in space. It turned out that they had not. 4ut eight years later, in 2002 7e#is +nyder and <i-=ehng >uan from National "ai#an Normal ;ni ersity repeated the finding, this time for real. "he e idence that molecules of glycine e$ist in interstellar space #as found #hen !0 spectrum lines of glycine #ere identified by radio telescope.

According to computer simulations and lab-based e$periments, glycine #as probably formed #hen ices containing simple organic molecules #ere e$posed to ultra iolet light. 4efore glycine, more than !?0 simpler molecules #ere found in deep space, including sugars and ethanol. 4ut amino acids, sometimes called building bloc's of life, are a much more interesting find. "his does not pro e that life e$ists outside Earth, but certainly ma'e that possibility more li'ely, pro ing that amino acids e$ists in outer space. "his also indirectly supports the idea of 2anspermia, saying that life #as brought to Earth from space. Physiological function 3lycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central ner ous system, especially in the spinal cord. .hen glycine receptors are acti ated, chloride ions enter the neuron and the cell undergoes a hyperpolarization. "hus the cell tends to be in an inhibited state. +trychnine, a drug that cause con ulsions, acts by bloc'ing these glycine receptors. Histidine is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids, coded for in DNA. Nutritionally, in humans, histidine is considered an essential amino acid, but mostly only in children. "he imidazole side chains of histidine and the relati ely neutral p> (ca @.0) mean that relati ely small shifts in cellular p- #ill change its charge. %or this reason, this amino acid side chain finds its #ay into considerable use as a co-ordinating ligand in metalloproteins (e.g., -emoglobin), and also as a catalytic site in certain enzymes. -istidine is necessary for gro#th and repair of tissue, production of red and #hite blood cells, and preser ation of myelin sheaths. "he amino acid is a precursor for histamine biosynthesis. -istamine is released during an allergic reaction. Isoleucine is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids, coded for in DNA. Its chemical composition is identical to that of leucine, but the arrangement of its atoms is slightly different resulting in different properties. Isoleucine is a member of the aliphatic side-chain amino acid family that is composed of e$tremely hydrophobic biochemicals that are found principally in the interior of proteins and enzymes. 7i'e se eral other members of this family ( aline and leucine), isoleucine is an essential amino acid that is not synthesized by mammalian tissues. Another feature of this class of amino acids is that they

appear to ha e no other significant biological role than incorporation into proteins and enzymes, #here their main purpose is to help dictate the tertiary structure of the macromolecules. Isoleucine as #ith other branched amino acids appear to promote muscle reco ery after physical e$ercise.

Leucine
is one of the 20 most common amino acids on !arth, and coded for by "#A. Its chemical composition is identical to that of isoleucine, but its atoms are arranged differently resulting in different properties. #utritionally, in humans, leucine is an essential amino acid. $eucine, li%e isoleucine and valine, is a hydrophobic amino acid that is found on the interior of proteins and en&ymes and has a significant structural role. $eucine ties glycine for the position of second most common amino acid found in proteins.

Lysine is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids on Earth. Nutritionally, in humans, lysine is an essential amino acid that has a net positi e charge at physiological p- alues ma'ing it one of the three basic (#ith respect to charge) amino acids. "his polar amino acid is commonly found on the surfaces of proteins and enzymes, and sometimes appears in the acti e site. 7ysine can be used as a nutritional supplement to help against herpes. A deficiency in 7ysine can result in a deficieny in niacin (#hich is a 4 Aitamin). "his can cause the disease pellagra. 2lants that contain significant amounts of lysine includeB Methionine (5et, 5. 1C-!!N02+) is a essential nonpolar amino acid, and a lipotropic. It and cysteine are the only sulfur containing amino acids that are coded for by DNA (-omocysteine is an amino acid and contains sulfur, but is a product of +adenosylmethionine ! carbon metabolism and is not coded for by DNA). 5ethionine is a methyl donor as +-adenosyl methionine (+A5). It is incorporated into the N-terminal position of all proteins in eu'aryotes and archaea, though it may be remo ed by post-translational modification (bacteria incorporate Nformyl methionine instead). 5ethionine can also occur at other positions in the protein. It plays a role in cysteine, carnitine and taurine synthesis by the transsulfuration path#ay, lecithin production, the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine and other phospholipids. Improper con ersion of methionine can lead to atherosclerosis. 5ethionine is a chelating agent. 5ost amino acids ha e a redundant genetic code6 se eral different nucleotide se&uences code for the same amino acid, gi ing a degree of error-correction to

the genetic se&uence, usually #ith the third base in the codon being non-specific. 5ethionine is one of only t#o amino acids #ith a single codon, A;3. ("ryptophan, encoded by ;33, is the other)

Phenylalanine e$ists in t#o forms, the D- and 7- forms. 7-2henylalanine(72A, 1 9-!2N02) is a neutral amino acid found in proteins, coded for by DNA. Its mirror image, Dphenylalanine (D2A), can be synthesized artificially. 7-phenylalanine is used in the human body, #here it is an essential amino acid. 7-2henylalanine can also be con erted into tyrosine. "yrosine is con erted into 7dopa, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. D-phenylalanine can only be con erted into phenylethylamine. "he genetic disorder phenyl'etonuria is an inability to metabolize phenylalanine. "he synthesized mi$ D7-2henylalanine (D72A), #hich is a combination of the Dand 7- forms, is used as a nutritional supplement. 2henylalanine is part of the composition of aspartame, a common s#eetner found in prepared foods (particularly soft drin's). Due to phenyl'etonuria, products containing aspartame usually ha e a #arning label that they contain phenylalanine, in compliance #ith ;.+. %DA guidelines Proline is one of the t#enty amino acids that are used by li ing organisms as a building bloc' of proteins (so called proteinogenic amino acids). 2roline is one of the cyclic aliphatic amino acids that is a ma/or component of the protein collagen, the connecti e tissue structure that binds and supports all other tissues. 2roline is synthesized from glutamic acid prior to its incorporation into pro-collagen during messenger DNA translation. In proteins, proline can act as a structural disruptor for (8) helices, and as a turning point in E sheets. 5ultiple prolines in a ro# can create a proline helix. +e&uences of proline and !-Aminosiobutyric acid (Aib) form a helical turn structure. Incorporated into peptides proline forms a tertiary amide. It doesen*t ha e a hydrogen on the amide group and can therefore not act as a hydrogen bond donor. Serine

is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids on Earth. "he serine side chain can undergo 0-lin'ed glycosylation. Taurine a nonprotein amino acid. It is the end product of 7-cysteine metabolism and the principle free intracellular amino acid found in human tissue. "he most understood role of 7-"aurine in humans is its in ol ement in the formation of "aurine bile acids con/ugates in the li er, #hich are essential for micelle formation and fat absorption. %urthermore, 7-"aurine is in ol ed in preFpostnatal ner ous and isual system de elopment. L-Taurine also has antio$idant, membrane stabilization acti ities and may decrease insulin resistance.G L-Taurine is the second most abundant free amino acid in muscle tissue. Taurine may exhi it !insulin li"e! effects and play a prominent role in !cell #olumi$ing!%

Tryptophan is an amino acid and essential in human nutrition. It is one of the 20 amino acids in the genetic code (codon UGG), and its symbol is Trp or W.

5olecular formula B 1!!-!2N202 5olecular #eight B 20:.2? Isoelectric point B p- C.H9 1A+ number B I?-22-?

"ryptophan is also a precursor for serotonin, a neurotransmitter, and melatonin, a neurohormone. %or some time, tryptophan #as a ailable in health food stores as a dietary supplement. 5any people found tryptophan to be a safe and reasonably effecti e sleep aid, probably due to its ability to increase brain le els of serotonin (a calming neurotransmitter #hen present in moderate le els) andFor melatonin (a dro#siness-inducing hormone secreted by the pineal gland in response to dar'ness or lo# light le els). 1linical research tended to confirm tryptophan*s effecti eness as a natural sleeping pill and for a gro#ing ariety of other conditions typically associated #ith lo# serotonin le els or acti ity in the brain. In particular, tryptophan sho#ed considerable promise as an antidepressant, alone and as an ,augmentor, of antidepressant drugs. 0ther promising indications included relief of chronic pain and reduction of impulsi e, iolent, manic, addicti e, obsessi e, or compulsi e beha iours and disorders. "ragically, in !9H9 a large outbrea' of a mysterious, disabling, and in some cases deadly autoimmune illness called eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome #as traced to

an improperly prepared batch of tryptophan. "he bacterial culture used to synthesise tryptophan by a ma/or =apanese manufacturer had recently been genetically engineered to increase tryptophan productionB unfortunately, #ith the higher tryptophan concentration in the culture medium, the purification process had also been streamlined to reduce costs, and a purification step that used charcoal adsorption to remo e impurities had been omitted. "his allo#ed another bacterial metabolite through the purification, and this contaminant of the endproduct had been responsible for the to$ic effects. Degardless of the origin of the to$icity, tryptophan #as banned from sale in the ;+, and other countries follo#ed suit. "hough tryptophan supplements are still banned from o er-the-counter sale, properly produced pharmaceutical-grade tryptophan continues to legally be used as an essential nutrient in infant formulas and intra enous meals and, in recent years, compounding pharmacies and some mail-order supplement retailers ha e begun selling tryptophan to the general public. "ryptophan has also remained on the mar'et as a presciption drug ("ryptan) #hich some psychiatrists continue to prescribe, particularly as an augmenting agent for people #ho are unresponsi e to antidepressant drugs. Indeed, tryptophan has continued to be used in clinical and e$perimental studies employing human patients and sub/ects. +e eral of these studies suggest tryptophan can effecti ely treat the fallF#inter depression ariant of seasonal affecti e disorder (+AD). Dietary sourcesB tryptophan is particularly plentiful in bananas, dried dates, mil', cottage cheese, meat, fish, tur'ey, and peanuts. Tyrosine (from the 3ree' tyros, for ,cheese,, #here it #as first disco ered) is one of the 20 amino acids that are used by cells to synthesize proteins. It plays a 'ey role in signal transduction, since it can be tagged (phosphorylated) #ith a phosphate group by protein 'inases to alter the functionality and acti ity of certain enzymes. 0ther important biological functions of tyrosine are as a precursor of the thyroid hormone, thyro$ine and of the biologically acti e catecholamines, dopamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline. Chemical properties&

Isoelectric pointB C.@: 5assB !H!.!9 Abbre iationsB "yr F < +ide chainB hydrophilic 1hemical formulaB 190?-!!N (structure)

'aline

is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids on Earth, and is coded for in DNA. Nutritionally, aline is also an essential amino acid.