| leucin | <physiology> A white, crystalline, nitrogenous substance formed in the decomposition of albuminous matter by pancreatic digestion, by the action of boiling dilute sulphuric acid, and by putrefaction. It is also found as a constituent of various tissues and organs, as the spleen, pancreas, etc, and likewise in the vegetable kingdom. Chemically it is to be considered as amido-caproic acid. Origin: Gr. White. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| leucine | <amino acid> The most abundant amino acid found in proteins. Confers hydrophobicity and has a structural rather than a chemical role. (18 Nov 1997) |
| leucine 2,3-aminomutase | <enzyme> Leucine is converted to 3-amino-4-methylpentanoate (beta leucine) Registry number: EC 5.4.3.7 (26 Jun 1999) |
| leucine acetyltransferase | <enzyme> Forms acetyl-l-leucine from acetyl-CoA plus leucine Registry number: EC 2.3.1.- Synonym: leucine acyltransferase (26 Jun 1999) |
| leucine aminopeptidase | <enzyme> An exopeptidase that removes neutral amino acid residues from the N terminus of proteins. (18 Nov 1997) |
| leucine dehydrogenase | <enzyme> An enzyme that catalyses the reaction of l-leucine, water, and NAD+ to produce NADH, ammonia, and 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate; used in the treatment of certain tumours. (05 Mar 2000) |
| leucine hypoglycaemia | Reduction in blood glucose concentration produced by administration of leucine; believed to reflect the ability of this amino acid to stimulate insulin secretion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| leucine zipper | <molecular biology> Motif found in certain DNA binding proteins. In a region of approximately 35 amino acids, every seventh is a leucine. This facilitates dimerisation of two such proteins to form a functional transcription factor. Examples of proteins containing leucine zippers are products of the proto-oncogenes myc, fos and jun. (15 Oct 1997) |
| leucine zippers | Domains in DNA-binding proteins that contain amino acid sequences that show periodic arrays of leucine residues. These residues exist in an alpha-helical conformation, with the leucine side chains extending from one alpha helix interdigitating with those displayed from a similar alpha helix of a second polypeptide, facilitating dimerization. (12 Dec 1998) |
| leucine-induced hypoglycaemia | Rare cause of hypoglycaemia occurring following ingestion of leucine. Seen especially in infants. (05 Mar 2000) |
| leucine-trna ligase | <enzyme> An enzyme that activates leucine with its specific transfer RNA. Chemical name: L-Leucine:tRNA(Leu) ligase (AMP-forming) Registry number: EC 6.1.1.4 (12 Dec 1998) |
| leucinic | <chemistry> Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained from leucin, and Synonym: oxycaproic acid. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| leucinopine | <biochemistry, cell biology> An analogue of nopaline found in crown gall tumours (induced by Agrobacterium tumefasciens) that do not synthesise octopine or nopaline. (15 Oct 1997) |
| leucinosis | A condition in which there is an abnormally large proportion of leucine in the tissues and body fluids. (05 Mar 2000) |
| leucinuria | The excretion of leucine in the urine. (05 Mar 2000) |