Increased concentration of the excitatory neurotransmitter aspartic acid in actively spiking human epileptic cerebral cortex was recently described. In order to further characterise changes in the aspartergic system in epileptic brain, the behaviour of aspartic acid aminotransferase (AAT), a key enzyme involved in aspartic acid metabolism has now been examined. Electrocorticography performed du...

Despite extensive study of heptahelical G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the precise mechanism of G protein activation is unknown. The role of one highly conserved stretch of residues, the amino acids glutamic acid/aspartic acid-arginine-tyrosine (i.e., the E/DRY motif), has received considerable attention with respect to regulating GPCR conformational states. In the consensus view, glutami...

L-Asparagine is responsible for a major portion of the effect of peptone on the growth of L5178Y lymphoblasts in culture and is essential for the reproduction of these cells. Among the compounds tested, the requirement for the amide is replaced only by certain peptide derivatives of asparagine, and these are less active on a molar basis than is L-asparagine; L-aspartic acid, D-asparagine, and L...

Products of glucose and glutamine metabolism by L929 cells were detected and quantitated by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry of the oxime-trimethylsilyl derivatives. This method allowed detection and identification of all major carboxylic and amino acids produced in the system. Although lactic acid was expected to be the major product, alanine, citric, glutamic, aspartic, and pyruvic ac...

ABSTRACT Long-term survivability is well-known for microorganisms in nutrient-depleted environments, but the damage accrued by proteins and associated repair processes during starvation recovery phase of microbial life still remain enigmatic. We focused on aspartic acid (Asp) racemization survival Pyrococcus furiosus Thermococcus litoralis under conditions at high temperature. Despite dramatic ...