| essential tremor | <neurology> A tremor that is associated with purposeful movement or motor activity. Essential tremor is the most common form of tremor with no identifiable cause. Stress, anxiety and the use of stimulants (for example caffeine, decongestants) can often make the tremor worse. Treatment is usually not necessary for this benign condition. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| acidic amino acid | An Amino acid with a second acid moiety, e.g., glutamic acid, aspartic acid, cysteic acid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| activated amino acid | The product formed by the condensation of the acyl radical of an amino acid and adenosine 5'-monophosphate (originally in the form of adenosine 5'-triphosphate, with elimination of a pyrophosphoric group). Formed in the first step of protein biosynthesis. Synonym: activated amino acid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid | <chemical> Alpha-amino-2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-oxo-4-isoxazolepropanoic acid. An ibotenic acid homolog and glutamate agonist. The compound is the defining agonist for the ampa subtype of glutamate receptors (receptors, ampa). It has been used as a radionuclide imaging agent but is more commonly used as an experimental tool in cell biological studies. Pharmacological action: excitatory amino acid agonists. Chemical name: 4-Isoxazolepropanoic acid, alpha-amino-2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-oxo- (12 Dec 1998) |
| alpha-amino acid | Typically, an amino acid of the general formula R-CHNH2-COOH (i.e., the NH2 in the a position); the l forms of these are the hydrolysis products of proteins. In rarer usages, this class of molecules also includes alpha-amino phosphoric acids and alpha-aminosulfonic acids. (05 Mar 2000) |
| alpha-amino acid esterase | <enzyme> Converts alpha-amino acid esters and water to alpha-amino acids and alcohol Registry number: EC 3.1.1.43 Synonym: alpha-amino acid ester hydrolase (26 Jun 1999) |
| alpha-amino-beta-ketoadipic acid | 2-Amino-3-oxo-1,6-hexanedioic acid;an intermediate of porphobilinogen synthesis formed by d-aminolevulinic acid synthase from succinyl-CoA and glycine; it rapidly decarboxylates to d-aminolevulinic acid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| amino- | <prefix> Prefix denoting a compound containing the radical, -NH2. Origin: an(monia) + in(e) + -o- (05 Mar 2000) |
| amino acid | <biochemistry> A class of organic molecules that containing an amino group and can combine in linear arrays to form proteins in living organisms. There are twenty common amino acids: alanine, arginine, aspargine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine. They are key components in all living things from which proteins are synthesised by formation of peptide bonds during ribosomal translation of messenger RNA. All the amino acids have the L configuration, except glycine which is not optically active. Other amino acids occurring in proteins, such as hydroxyproline in collagen, are formed by post translational enzymatic modification of amino acid residues in polypeptide chains. There are also several important amino acids, such as the neurotransmitter y aminobutyric acid, that have no relation to proteins. Amino acids can now be produced by biotechnology in bulk using fermentation and biotransformation. Acronym: AA (13 Nov 1997) |
| amino acid activating enzyme | <enzyme> Enzymes catalyzing the formation of a specific aminoacyl-tRNA from an amino acid and adenosine 5'-triphosphate with the concomitant formation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate and pyrophosphate. Synonym: amino acid activating enzyme, aminoacyl-tRNA ligases. (05 Mar 2000) |
| amino acid activation | The first step of protein synthesis, whereby an amino acid reacts with adenosine triphosphate in the presence of aminoacyl RNA synthetase to produce an amino acid adenylate, which provides the energy necessary for the attachment of the amino acid to a specific transfer RNA molecule. (12 Dec 1998) |
| amino acid analysis | Determination and identification of amino acid content of a macromolecule, identification of a specific amino acid in macromolecules, often a mutated protein, identification and quantitation of amino acid content in blood plasma or urine; a key diagnostic aid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| amino acid chloromethyl ketones | <chemical> Inhibitors of serine proteinases and sulfhydryl group-containing enzymes. They act as alkylating agents and are known to interfere in the translation process. Pharmacological action: alkylating agents, protein synthesis inhibitor, serine proteinase inhibitors. (12 Dec 1998) |
| amino acid dehydrogenases | Enzymes catalyzing the oxidative deamination of amino acids to the corresponding oxo (keto) acids; two relatively non-specific varieties exist, l and d, for which l-amino acids and d-amino acids are the respective substrates; the products include NH3 and a reduced hydrogen acceptor (NADH in the l case); amino acid dehydrogenases of greater specificity exist, (e.g., glycine dehydrogenase). Compare: amino acid oxidases. (05 Mar 2000) |
| amino acid isomerases | <enzyme> Enzymes that catalyze either the racemization or epimerization of chiral centres within amino acids or derivatives. Registry number: EC 5.1.1.- (12 Dec 1998) |