Amino Acids on Earth
by
Matt Schefft
1. The properties of Asparagine are:
- polar, uncharged
- usually unreactive,
amide group
- Beta-amido derivative of aspartic acid
- High Occurence
of Beta Bend
2. Asparagine is a derivative of:
- Aspartic
Acid which is a negatively charged amino acid, with an additional carboxyl
group.
3. An interesting biological or pharmaceutical role
of asparagine and aspartic acid is:
- Asparagine is found in high levels in the hippocampus, a
part of the brain believed to be largely responsible for memory.
4. Other interesting information about asparagine:
- occurence
in proteins: 4.4%
- molecular weight:
132 D
- essential for
the synthesis of ammonia in the liver
- considered a
nonessential amino acid because it can be synthesized in the body
- first amino acid
ever isolated
