Branched-chain amino acids

Proteins are a multifarious group of macromolecules, which carry out many different functions within the human body. (Mbuthia, 2009). They are comprised of repeating units of amino acids held together by peptide bonds. As stated by Mbuthia, the Biuret reagent is a solution which aids scientists to conclude if there are any peptide bonds present within a sample, and thus, is used to determine protein existence within a substance. The Biuret assays depends on the presence of 2 or more peptide…

Chalcone scaffolds had attracted many researchers to investigate their synthetic routes, potential biological activities and their roles as intermediates for naturally occurring flavanoid skeletons. This study focused on the synthesis of chalcones bearing O-, C-prenyl and chromane as substituents. The target compounds were purified by chromatographic methods and structures of all compounds were determined by using IR, NMR and MS spectroscopies. The prenylated precursors were synthesized…

Monosodium glutamate is a taste enhancing vegetable protein. At the time of discovery, MSG was thought to be safe since it was an amino acid, a natural substance. The amount of MSG added to foods has doubled in every decade since the 1940's and by 1972, 262,000 metric tons of MSG were produced. In 1957 two ophthalmologists, Lucas and Newhouse decided to test MSG on infant mice in an effort to study the effects of MSG and its correlation with an eye disease known as hereditary retinal dystrophy.…

Creatine was discovered in 1832 by Michel Chevreul. It is formed from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. Athletes take creatine supplements to improve strength and power. Athletes normally purchase creatine in powder, capsule, and liquid forms. The average adult gets 1 to 2 grams of creatine from his or her normal diet; for athletic performance, people may start with 10 to 30 grams of creatine a day and follow by a maintenance dose of 2 to 5 grams of creatine a day. (David…

Sodium binding results in a conformational change of the activation loop which affects the position of the side chains of three key residues: His-117, which is part of the activation loop in subunit α, and Arg-224 and Glu-250 present in the β-subunit of the other heterodimer. When potassium is present in the activation loop, the side chain of Arg-224 holds the L-aspartate/L-asparagine product/substrate in place in the active site through a fork of hydrogen bonds in a salt bridge…

Whether it is professional sports or amateur weight lifting, people all around the world want to improve and perform to their best ability. A potential way of achieving this is through the use of a natural supplement known as creatine. Creatine is a non-essential compound that can be endogenously produced by the human body, primarily in the kidney and liver (1). The majority of Creatine (Cr) is located in skeletal muscles with approximately 40% in the free form (Cr) and 60% in the phosphorylated…

Maple syrup urine disease is a rare disorder in which the body fails to properly process certain amino acids, such as leucine, isoleucine and valine. which are present in foods such as milk, eggs, meat. Therefore, results in a buildup of these in the blood. It is called maple syrup due to its distinctive sweet odor of affected infant’s urine. MSUD can damage the brain when in physical stress, such as fever, infection, starving. MSUD affects approximately 1 in 180,000 infants worldwide. A higher…

Phosphonates as inhibitors for Pks13-TE Hypothesis for the aim 1 of the proposed project is that the fluorinated α–Aminophosphonates as a covalent irreversible inhibitor for the Mtb Pks13-TE by scission of the P-C bond. Previous studies have shown the fluorinated aminophosphonates (FAPs) demonstrated serine esterases inhibition via scission of the P-C bond as shown in Figure 2.1.A 4. FAPs are known to irreversibly inhibit serine esterases such as acetylcholinesterase16 , neuropathy target…

Ricketts is a condition that affects bone development, usually reported in children, bringing about bone deformities. Lack of Vitamin D, phosphorus or calcium are the most common causes of this condition. Symptoms can include; skeletal pain, skeletal deformities such as “bowed legs” or curvature of the spine. There is also a high chance of bone fracturing. Vitamin D is the most common cause and is essential for the absorption of calcium in the gut. The main source of Vitamin D comes from natural…

gain, linear and head growth.(30) Commercially produced multicomponent fortifiers contain hydrolysed protein. However further research is required to determine the quality and quantity of protein to refine the formulations in view of the unique amino acid requirements of the premature…