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Phenylalanine

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Submitted By djjamrock
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Phenylalanine is a critical and required amino acid for the normal biological productions of proteins. The body requires a certain amount of phenylalanine because it does not produce it naturally. The human body obtains Phenylalanine thru proper diet. Thru the biological process of protein formation the body converts phenylalanine into tyrosine, which is essential to form required chemicals and proteins that the body needs to functions normally. Deficiency of phenylalanine causes numerous healthy problems such as altered state of mind, lack of energy, memory issues, confusion, and decreased alertness. High blood levels of phenylalanine can also be bad. High levels of phenylalanine can lower intelligence, causes anxiety and depression, and the inability to focus or pay attention. This is why phenylalanine is such an important molecule. Too much of it can cause problems and a deficiency also causes health problems, therefore it is important to be educated about it. The IUPAC name for phenylalanine is (2S)-2-Amino-3-Phenylpropanoic Acid. There are also common names of phenyalanine, L-Phenyalanine and D-Phenylalanine. Phenylalanine is a nonpolar hydrophobic molecule, which is why it is buried inside proteins. Phenylalanine is an aromatic compound with a melting point of 283 degrees Celsius. It has a solubility of 26.9 grams per mole. The structural formula can be seen on the cover page and it’s molecular formula is C9H11NO2. Phenylalanine is found in protein. It is found in dairy products, almonds, avocados, lima beans, peanuts, and seeds. Phenylalanine’s first written description of it was seen in the year 1879 by Schulze and Barbieri. Schulze and Barbieri proposed the empirical formula C9H11NO2. They identified it in yellow lupine seedlings. Three years later Erlenmeyer and Lipp were first to synthesize phenylalanine from phenlacetaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, and ammonia. What brought my attention to phenylalanine was when I was drinking a diet coke and noticed on the label that it says Warning: Contains Phenylketonurics. When I read this on my soda can, I thought to myself why would a can of soda have a warning on it. During my research about phenylalanine I have learned that PKU, an inborn error in metabolism can cause serious health issues if phenylalanine is consumed. I have also learned that persons that do not have the inborn error but are carriers of the gene, they too can also be affected by the over consumption of phenylalanine. I also have learned that phenylalanine is found in regular foods such as meat, milk, eggs, and peanuts. Looking at phenylalanine from the organic chemistry point of view makes me more interested because understanding what chemical reactions take place for someone who has the bad genes whether they are carriers or have PKU disease can answer a lot of questions for people who have unexplained illnesses caused by phenylalanine. The following are the Chemical reactions that the body undergoes during the formation of protein with phenylalanine. As you can see Phenylalanine is the precursor to many critical chemicals in the biological pathway. The Organic chemistry behind the understanding of why too much of it is bad can answer lots of medical mysteries The following diagram depicts the synthesis of phenylalanine. You can see that phenylalanine is synthesized by a transamination reaction that requires energy.

Work Cited

Koch, Jean. Robert Guthrie--the PKU Story: Crusade against Mental Retardation. Pasadena, CA: Hope Pub. House, 1997. Print.

Bellenir, Karen. Genetic Disorders Sourcebook: Basic Information about Heritable Diseases and Disorders Such as Down Syndrome, PKU, Hemophilia, Von Willebrand Disease, Gaucher Disease, Tay-Sachs Disease, and Sickle Cell Disease ... Detroit, MI: Omnigraphics, 1996. Print.

Szymańska, Ewa, Karla Frydenvang, Alberto Contreras-Sanz, Darryl S. Pickering, Elena Frola, Zorica Serafimoska, Birgitte Nielsen, Jette S. Kastrup, and Tommy N. Johansen. "A New Phenylalanine Derivative Acts as an Antagonist at the AMPA Receptor GluA2 and Introduces Partial Domain Closure: Synthesis, Resolution, Pharmacology, and Crystal Structure." Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 54.20 (2011): 7289-298. Print.

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