Abstract
D-Alanine (D-Ala) is an unusual endogenous amino acid present in invertebrates and vertebrates. Compared to its L-isomer, the characterization of D-Ala is challenging because of the need for chiral resolution and the low amounts of the D-enantiomer present. With recent improvements in measurement capabilities, research on D-Ala, along with other D-amino acids, has been growing, especially as the functional significance of D-Ala in the mammalian nervous and endocrine systems is becoming known. Here we provide an overview of the distribution, origin, function, and disease implications of D-Ala.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 140482 |
Journal | Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Proteins and Proteomics |
Volume | 1868 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2020 |
Keywords
- Chiral metabolites
- D-alanine
- D-amino acids
- Disease
- Host-microbe
- NMDA receptor
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biophysics
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology