X-Nico

2 unusual facts about Aspartic acid


N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid

NMDA receptors are particularly important when they become overactive during withdrawal from alcohol as this causes symptoms such as agitation and, sometimes, epileptiform seizures.

RTX toxin

The name RTX (repeats in toxin) refers to the glycine and aspartate-rich repeats located at the C-terminus of the toxin proteins, which facilitate export by a dedicated T1SS encoded within the rtx operon.



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DNA methylation

Finally, DNMT2 (TRDMT1) has been identified as a DNA methyltransferase homolog, containing all 10 sequence motifs common to all DNA methyltransferases; however, DNMT2 (TRDMT1) does not methylate DNA but instead methylates cytosine-38 in the anticodon loop of aspartic acid transfer RNA.

Robinson–Gabriel synthesis

Starting with aspartic acid β esters undergoing acylation to differentiate the first substituent, linked to carbon-2, followed by Dakin-West conversion to keto-amide to introduce the second substituent, and ending with the Robinson-Gabriel cyclodehydration at 90°C for 30 minutes with either phosphorus oxychloride in DMF or catalytic sulfuric acid in acetic anhydride.

Tetrapeptide

Achatin-I (glycyl-phenylalanyl-alanyl-aspartic acid) is a neuroexcitatory tetrapeptide from giant African snail (Achatina fulica).