GLYCINE AMINO ACID

Dr. Mohammed Ellulu

What is the Glycine?

Glycine is the smallest amino acids.

Chemical formula is (NH2CH2COOH).

Chemical structure:

Colourless, sweet-tasting crystalline, hydrophilic or hydrophobic; due to its side chain is only one hydrogen atom.

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Biosynthesis

Glycine is non-essential A.A.

Biosynthesized in the body from the A.A. Serine,

which is in turn derived from 3-phosphoglycerate.

The enzyme Serine hydroxymethyltransferase

catalyses this transformation via the cofactor

pyridoxal phosphate:

Serine + tetrahydrofolate → Glycine + N5,N10-

Methylene tetrahydrofolate + H2O

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Biosynthesis in liver

Catalyzed by glycine synthase (glycine cleavage

enzyme), to get a reversible conversion.

CO2 + NH4+ + N5,N10-Methylene tetrahydrofolate +

NADH + H+→ Glycine + tetrahydrofolate + NAD+

Most proteins incorporate only small quantities of

glycine.

A notable exception is collagen, which contains

about 35% glycine.

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Absorption of Amino Acids

Conceptually identical to monosaccharides.

Luminal plasma membrane bears sodium-dependent amino acid transporters.

Depends on the electrochemical gradient of sodium across the epithelium.

Absorption of di/tripeptides in small intestinal epithelial cell by cotransport with H+ ions.

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Metabolism and

degradation

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Physiological actions of Glycine

Create muscle tissue.

Maintaining healthy central nervous and digestive systems.

Provide protection via antioxidants from some types of cancer.

Almost 1/3 of collagen, which keeps the skin and connective tissue firm and flexible.

Glucogenic: supply body with glucose needed for energy.

Help reduce the symptoms of prostatic hyperplasia in men.

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Studies about Glycine 8

Amino acid promotes sleep (Ajinomoto,2004)

A study of the brains of rats revealed that glycine accumulates in the pineal gland, a part of the brain associated with the rhythms of waking and sleeping.

3g of glycine has tested on a group of men with sleep problems. Taking the supplement within an hour before going to bed.

The researchers said the subjects showed brainwave patterns associated with non-REM sleep sooner and slept longer than those who did not take the amino acid.

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Cancer Addicted to Glycine (Jain et al, 2012)

According to study, the amino acid glycine fuels

fast-growing cancer cells.

Glycine is consumed by cancer cells but is released

by normal cells.

Food diaries from 60 human cancer cell lines show

that they all consume large amounts of the amino

acid glycine when growing fast.

The team used liquid chromatography coupled with

mass spectrometry.

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Collagen for Osteoarthritis (world congress, 2003)

Joint diseases account for the majority of all chronic conditions in people aged 65 and older and osteoarthritis represents the single most prevalent age-related disease.

Dr Hans-Konrad Selbmann, from the German University in Tuebingen, highlighted a study within 1991:

Adam et al compared four treatments to reduce the patients' levels of pain:

1- collagen hydrolysate.

2- gelatine.

3- gelatine-glycine-calcium-fluid combination.

4- albumin proteins.

The study found that all three of the gelatine treatments were effective and significantly superior to the protein supplementation.

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women's health (AHPA, 2005)

New information on botanicals from American

Herbal Products Association such as”

red clover (Trifolium pratense) used for menopause,

Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) used to ease PMS,

and soy (Glycine max), which is considered by some

as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy.

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Anti-carcinogenic factors 13

Vitiva CEO, a special neutraceutical company in

Slovenia, studied the rosemary-derived anti-

oxidants, and yeast powder for the reduction of

acrylamide in fried foods.

Acrylamide is a carcinogen discovered by Swedish

scientists in 2002.

Yeast contains almost: L-cysteine, glycine and L-

lysine.

References

Ajinomoto Company (2004). Japanese amino acids supplier Ajinomoto is considering commercializing food supplements containing glycine, based on studies showing the amino acid could help people sleep better. William Reed Business Media SAS. NutraIngredients publications.

Jain M, et al (2012). Metabolite profiling identifies a key role for glycine in rapid cancer cell proliferation. Science 336:1040-1044.

The 8th world congress of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International took place in Berlin from 12-15 October 2003.

American Herbal Products Association (2005). The first International Symposium on the Role of Botanicals in Women's Health. The symposium will take place on 16 & 17 February at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

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SERINE AMINO ACID

What is Serine?

Chemical formula HO2CCH(NH2)CH2OH.

Chemical structure:

One of the proteinogenic amino acids.

By hydroxyl group, serine is classified as a polar

amino acid.

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Biosynthesis

The biosynthesis of serine starts with the oxidation

of 3-phosphoglycerate to 3-phosphohydroxy-

pyruvate and NADH.

Reductive amination of this ketone followed by

hydrolysis gives serine.

Serine hydroxymethyltransferase catalyzes

conversions of L-serine to glycine and 5,6,7,8-

tetrahydrofolate to 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate

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Biosynthesis 18

Serine deficiency

Serine deficiency is a rare, inherited, metabolic

disorder that interferes with normal growth and

development, particularly in the central nervous

system.

Unlike similar neurodevelopmental disorders, serine

deficiency can be treated.

Children with serine deficiency are born with an

abnormally small head (called microcephaly).

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Biological functions

Metabolic

participates in the biosynthesis of purines and

pyrimidines.

precursor to several amino acids including glycine

and cysteine.

precursor to numerous metabolites, including folate,

which is the principal donor of one-carbon

fragments in biosynthesis.

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Structural role

catalytic function of many enzymes.

occur in the active sites of chymotrypsin, trypsin.

nerve gases and insecticides shown to act by

combining with a residue of serine in the active site

of acetylcholine esterase.

Serine proteases are a common type of protease.

Biological functions 21

Signalling

D-Serine, synthesized in the brain by serine

racemase from L-serine serves as a neurotransmitter.

D-serine is a potent agonist at the glycine site of the

NMDA-type glutamate receptor. For the receptor to

open, glutamate and either glycine or D-serine must

bind to it.

D-serine is a more potent agonist at the glycine site

on the NMDAR than glycine itself.

Biological functions 22

Gustatory sensation

Pure D-Serine is an off-white crystalline powder

with dirty aroma.

L-Serine is sweet with sour tastes at high

concentration.

D-Serine is sweet with an additional minor sour

taste at medium and high concentrations.

Biological functions 23

Glycine and Serine amino acids share in

metabolism pathway 24

Studies about Serine 25

Cheese protect against IBD (Sprong et al, 2009)

The study, published in the Journal of Dairy Science,

suggests that dietary cheese whey protein could

reduce symptoms and markers of inflammatory

bowel disease (IBD), after it was found to reduce

gene expression of inflammation markers and

diminish the clinical symptoms of IBD such as

diarrhea and fecal blood loss in an animal model.

The study recommended that whey protein rich in:

threonine, serine ,cysteine.

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Soy and Casein decrease muscle

protein breakdown (Luiking et al, 2010) 27

The study involved 22 healthy 22 year olds randomly assigned to receive moderate-nitrogen and carbohydrate casein and soy meals.

Researchers from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Maastricht University….US.

The synthesis of muscle protein between the groups, did not suggest differences in changes in soy and casein, as they were rich in glutamate, glutamine, serine, histidine, isoleucine and branched chain amino acids.

Energy abounds in soft drinks market 28

Energy drinks in the UK the Jordan Grand Prix

brand has jumped on the bandwagon with the

creation of the EJ-10 Liquid Performance Drink,

named after Jordan Grand Prix's founder Eddie

Jordan and the 10 active ingredients in the drink.

Jordan EJ-10 is a hypotonic drink targeting drivers.

It contains phosphatidyl serine, maltodextrins and

isolated proteins, but no caffeine or taurine.

Mintel's Global New Products Database: www.gnpd.com

Chemi Nutraceuticals 29

Chemi Nutraceuticals is the new US branch of

parent company C hemi, a privately held

pharmaceutical and nutraceutical company based in

Milan, Italy.

Chemi, with cGMP certified manufacturing facilities

in Italy and Brazil, is best known in the US nutritional

arena for its introduction of phosphatidyl serine

(PS), the popular dietary supplement used to

enhance learning, memory, and concentration.

References 30

Sprong RC , Schonewille AJ and van der Meer R (2009). Cheese whey protein may

help to reduce genetic markers and symptoms associated with inflammatory bowel

disease, according to a new study in rats. Journal of Dairy Science. 93: 1364–

1371.

Luiking YC, Engelen MPKJ, Soeters PB, Boirie Y and Deutz NEP (2010). Protein from

soy or casein both benefit the synthesis of muscle protein at the same rate. Clinical

Nutrition. doi: 10.1016.