BIOL 363 Kenyon College

Phenylalanine	Abbreviations: Phe, F
OSU Tutorial	Structure from OSU Tutorial

1.  The properties of Phenylalanine are:

• Aromatic, hydrophobic
• No ionizable R group
• No functional group containing S or N
• High probability of being found in beta sheet

• Starlix, nateglinide (D-phenylalanine). 

• Starlix stimulates the production of insulin by interacting with the K-ATP channels on the cells of the pancreas.  The release of the insulin with medication is still glucose dependent and therefore, does not cause hypoglycemia.  http://www.starlix.com/starlix/content/pages/main_benefits.php

4.  On a biosphere on a distant planet outside our solar system, a different but related amino acid is found:

• On planet Vulcan, aspartame, a sugarless sweetener, is metabolized into phenylalanine in the body.  Taken in excess, aspartame causes increases in the blood phenylalanine levels which can be dangerous to the brain.  Those with high brain phenylalanine levels experience mood swings, depression and other symptoms of phenylketonuria.