What is the chemical symbol for proline?
The chemical symbol for proline is Pro or P.
How is proline classified in terms of amino acids?
Proline is classed as a proteinogenic amino acid, used in the biosynthesis of proteins.
Does proline contain an amino group?
No, proline does not contain the amino group -NH2, but rather a secondary amine.
What forms do the nitrogen and carboxyl group of proline take under biological conditions?
The nitrogen is in the protonated form (NH2+), while the carboxyl group is in the deprotonated (-COO-) form.
How is proline's "side chain" connected to the α carbon?
The "side chain" from the α carbon connects to the nitrogen, forming a pyrrolidine loop.
Is proline essential or non-essential in humans?
Proline is non-essential in humans, meaning the body can synthesize it from the non-essential amino acid L-glutamate.
What are the codons that encode proline?
Proline is encoded by all the codons starting with CC (CCU, CCC, CCA, and CCG).
How is proline biosynthetically derived from L-glutamate?
Glutamate-5-semialdehyde is first formed by glutamate 5-kinase and glutamate-5-semialdehyde dehydrogenase. It can then either spontaneously cyclize or be turned into ornithine before cyclization to form proline.
What biological activities does L-Proline exhibit?
L-Proline has been found to act as a weak agonist of the glycine receptor and of both NMDA and non-NMDA (AMPA/kainate) ionotropic glutamate receptors. It has also been proposed as a potential endogenous excitotoxin.
What are some uses of proline?
Proline and its derivatives are used as asymmetric catalysts in proline organocatalysis reactions. It is also used in brewing to produce haze and as an osmoprotectant in pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications. Additionally, proline can be used to supplement the growth medium in plant tissue culture to increase growth and tolerance to stresses.
