Leucine Amino Acid | Introduction | Structure | Chemical Properties | Sources.....

Leucine Amino Acid | Introduction | Structure | Chemical Properties | Sources.....

LEUCINE AMINO ACID

                                         

Introduction-

Leucine (symbol Leu or L) is an essential amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. Leucine is an α-amino acid, meaning it contains an α-amino group, α-carboxylic acid group, and a side chain isobutyl group, making it a non-polar aliphatic amino acid.

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L-leucine is the L-enantiomer of leucine. It has a role as a plant metabolite, an Escherichia coli metabolite, a Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolite, a human metabolite, an algal metabolite and a mouse metabolite.

It is a pyruvate family amino acid, a proteinogenic amino acid, a leucine and a L-alpha-amino acid. It is a conjugate base of a L-leucinium. It is a conjugate acid of a L-leucinate. It is an enantiomer of a D-leucine. It is a tautomer of a L-leucine zwitterion. Leucine is one of nine essential amino acids in humans (provided by food), Leucine is important for protein synthesis and many metabolic functions. Leucine contributes to regulation of blood-sugar levels; growth and repair of muscle and bone tissue; growth hormone production; and wound healing. Leucine also prevents breakdown of muscle proteins after trauma or severe stress and may be beneficial for individuals with phenylketonuria. Leucine is available in many foods and deficiency is rare. It is essential in humans, meaning the body cannot synthesize it: it must be obtained from the diet. Human dietary sources are foods that contain protein, such as meats, dairy products, soy products, and beans and other legumes. It is encoded by the codons UUA, UUG, CUU, CUC, CUA, and CUG.

Like valine and isoleucine, leucine is a branched-chain amino acid. The primary metabolic end products of leucine metabolism are acetyl-CoA and acetoacetate; consequently, it is one of the two exclusively ketogenic amino acids, with lysine being the other. It is the most important ketogenic amino acid in humans. Leucine and β-hydroxy β-methylbutyric acid, a minor leucine metabolite, exhibit pharmacological activity in humans and have been demonstrated to promote protein biosynthesis via the phosphorylation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR).

 Properties :-

Chemical formula :- C₆H₁₃NO₂

Molar mass :- 131.175 g·mol−1

Acidity (pKa) :- 2.36 (carboxyl), 9.60 (amino)[1]

Magnetic susceptibility (χ) :- -84.9·10−6 cm3/mol

Thermodynamic data :- Phase behavior (solid–liquid–gas)

Structure-

                              

Sources :-

Whey protein concentrate, dry powder

Soy protein concentrate, dry powder    

Pea protein concentrate, dry powder    

Soybeans, mature seeds, roasted, salted            

Hemp seed, hulled         

Beef, round, top round, raw      

Peanuts

Fish, salmon, pink, raw

Wheat germ      

Almonds

Chicken, broilers or fryers, thigh, raw    

Chicken egg, yolk, raw

Oats      

Edamame (soybeans, green, raw)           

Beans, pinto, cooked    

Lentils, cooked 

Chickpea, cooked           

Corn, yellow

Cow milk, whole, 3.25% milk fat

Rice, brown, medium-grain, cooked

Milk, human, mature, fluid

Synthesis :- Synthesis in non-human organism

Leucine is an essential amino acid in the diet of animals because they lack the complete enzyme pathway to synthesize it de novo from potential precursor compounds. Consequently, they must ingest it, usually as a component of proteins. Plants and microorganisms synthesize leucine from pyruvic acid with a series of enzymes:

Acetolactate synthase

Acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase

Dihydroxyacid dehydratase

α-Isopropylmalate synthase

α-Isopropylmalate isomerase

Leucine aminotransferase

Synthesis of the small, hydrophobic amino acid valine also includes the initial part of this pathway.

 

 

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