Enzymatic synthesis of pyrrolysine, the mysterious 22nd amino acid
Enzymatic synthesis of pyrrolysine, the mysterious 22nd amino acid - With few exceptions, all known proteins are built up from only twenty amino acids. 25 years ago scientists discovered a 21st amino acid, selenocysteine and ten years ago a 22nd, the pyrrolysine. However, how the cell produces the unusual building block remained a mystery. Now researchers at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen have elucidated the structure of an important enzyme in the production of pyrrolysine. The scientific journal Angewandte Chemie reports on their results.
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