Biochemistry of Amino Acids - A. Majster 1961

Natural Amino Acids
Other Natural Amino Acids
Monoaminomonocarboxylic Acids

Class="center">L-a-Aminobutyric acid

This amino acid has been detected chromatographically in the urine of healthy individuals and patients with Fanconi Syndrome (p. 469) [166]. It occurs in a free state in animal [167, 168] and plant [184] Tissues, but has not yet been found as a component of Proteins.

y-Aminobutyric acid

y-Aminobutyric acid occurs in a free state in the brains of animals and in certain plants [170–177]. This amino acid was first detected chromatographically and only later isolated in crystalline form. It has long been known that certain Bacteria produce y-aminobutyric acid from glutamic acid. Recently, y-aminobutyric acid has been obtained by the decarboxylation of glutamic acid using enzyme preparations isolated from PLANT AND ANIMAL tissues, as well as from bacteria (see p. 199).

ß-Aminoisobutyric acid

This amino acid was first detected in human urine by Chromatography and subsequently isolated in crystalline form [178]. There is evidence that sharp quantitative differences in the urinary excretion of this amino acid are genetically determined. The precursor of the excreted ß-aminobutyric acid is presumably 5-methylpyrimidine [179] (p. 309).

ß-Alanine (ß-aminopropionic acid)

This amino acid is a constituent of carnosine, anserine, pantothenic acid, and coenzyme A; it also occurs in a free state [168, 175, 177]. Certain bacteria are capable of decarboxylating aspartic acid to form ß-alanine, although in animals The formation of ß-alanine apparently proceeds via other pathways [180] (p. 308).

L-Homoserine (a-amino-y-hydroxybutyric acid)

Homoserine was discovered during chromatographic analysis of plant extracts and isolated from Pisum sativum as the corresponding lactone [193]. Homoserine is an intermediate in the METABOLISM of Threonine, aspartic acid, and Methionine (pp. 333 and 368).

a-Methyl-D-Serine (a-amino-ß-hydroxyisobutyric acid)

Dextrorotatory a-methylserine has been isolated from the antibiotic amicetin, which also contains p-aminobenzoic acid and cytosine [194]. It has now been proven that this amino acid has the D-configuration.

L-Azaserine (O-diazoacetyl-L-serine)

L-Azaserine, which inhibits the growth of certain experimental tumors, was isolated from culture filtrates of a Streptomyces strain [195, 196]. The Structure of this compound has been confirmed by chemical synthesis. Another serine derivative, O-carbamyl-D-serine    

has been isolated from cultures of another Streptomyces strain [197].



Last update: 06/08/2026

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