Amino
Acids on Earth
by
Kate Holland
1.
The properties of Glutamine are:
-
Polar, neutral, hydrophilic.
-
Functional amide group.
-
L-glutamine is the only form
naturally found in the body.
2.
A derivative of Glutamine would be:
-
N-Acetyl-L-Glutamine
which
is formed by the binding of an acetyl group to glutamine.
3.
An interesting biological or pharmaceutical role of this glutamine derivative
is:
-
It is more stable than glutamine
in conditions that are experienced during typical sterilization and shelf
storage of liquid nutritionals due to the protection of the acetyl group.
Thus, upon ingestion, N-acetyl-L-glutamine will not be destroyed in the
stomach and will be delivered to the muscles.
4.
On a biosphere on a distant planet outside our solar system, a different
but related amino acid is found:
-
A methylated form of glutamine,
Rimbaldi, is found on Planet Bristow. The females, as the superior
gender, are known to supplement their diets with Rimbaldi to increase strength.
