Valine

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Valine
Image:L-valine-skeletal.svg Image:L-valine-3D-sticks.png
Systematic name	(S)-2-amino-3-methyl-butanoic acid
Abbreviations	Val V
Chemical formula	C₅H₁₁NO₂
Molecular mass	117.15 g mol^-1
Melting point	315 °C
Density	1.230 g cm^-3
Isoelectric point	5.96
pK_a	2.27 9.52
CAS number	[72-18-4]
EINECS number	200-773-6
SMILES	CC(C)C(N)C(=O)O
Disclaimer and references

Valine is one of the 20 proteinogenic amino acids. Nutritionally, valine is also an essential amino acid. It is named after the plant valerian.

In sickle-cell disease, it substitutes for the hydrophilic amino acid glutamic acid in hemoglobin: Because valine is hydrophobic, the hemoglobin does not fold correctly. Valine is uncharged overall, as its R group is neutral, and the charges from its amino and carboxylic acid groups balance out: a zwitterion.

Foods that are good sources of valine include cottage cheese, fish, poultry, peanuts, sesame seeds, and lentils.

In a 1994 report released by five top cigarette companies, valine is one of the 599 additives to cigarettes. Its use or purpose, however, is unknown, like most cigarette additives. [1]

[edit] External links

The 20 Common Amino Acids
Alanine (dp) \| Arginine (dp) \| Asparagine (dp) \| Aspartic acid (dp) \| Cysteine (dp) \| Glutamic acid (dp) \| Glutamine (dp) \| Glycine (dp) \| Histidine (dp) \| Isoleucine (dp) \| Leucine (dp) \| Lysine (dp) \| Methionine (dp) \| Phenylalanine (dp) \| Proline (dp) \| Serine (dp) \| Threonine (dp) \| Tryptophan (dp) \| Tyrosine (dp) \| Valine (dp)
←Peptides	Major families of biochemicals	Nucleic acids→