Description

Amino acids are characterized by the presence of a side chain (R group), in addition to carboxyl (-COOH) and amine (-NH2) functional groups, within their organic compound structure. They are the building blocks of proteins. The key elements of an amino acid are hydrogen, carbon, oxygen and nitrogen. Amino acid synthesis refers to the collective metabolic pathways responsible for the production of amino acids. Those amino acids that cannot be synthesized by the organism's body and must be obtained through dietary sources are essential amino acids. Other significant categories include non-proteinogenic amino acids, proteinogenic amino acids, and non-standard amino acids. Because of their significant biological roles, amino acids find extensive applications in nutrition, as well as in food technology, fertilizer production, animal feed formulations, and the manufacturing of nutritional supplements, among other uses. This book is compiled in such a manner, that it will provide in-depth knowledge about amino acids. It will also provide interesting topics for research which interested readers can take up. It will serve as a valuable source of reference for graduate and postgraduate students.