Glutamate
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Amino Acids
- Serine
- Asparagine
- Alanine
- Valine
- Leucine
- Isoleucine
- Phenylalanine
- Tryptophan
- Methionine
- Proline
- Glycine
- Threonine
- Cysteine
- Tyrosine
- Glutamine
- Aspartate
- Glutamate
- Histidine
- Lysine
- Arginine
Summary
Glutamate, which abbreviates to the 3-letter Glu or 1-letter E, is one of the 20 amino acids that make up proteins in our body. Glutamate’s R-group is a carboxylic acid at the end of a longer, 2-carbon chain. Due to its two oxygens, glutamate is a polar, hydrophilic amino acid. The carboxylic acid can also act as a proton donor, making glutamate an acidic, negatively charged amino acid at physiological pH.
Key Points
- Glutamate
- Also known as Glutamic Acid
- Abbreviations
- Glu, E
- Chemical Structure
- R-Group: -CH2-CH2-Carboxyl
- Carboxyl
- Contrast vs. Glutamine (which has amide instead of carboxyl)
- “-ate” ending denotes ionic form of carboxylic acid
- 2 bridging methylene carbons (-CH2-CH2-)
- Contrast vs. Aspartate (only 1 bridging carbon)
- Carboxyl
- Polarity
- Polar (water soluble/hydrophilic)
- Acidity/Basicity
- Acidic
- pKa = 4 (rounded)
- Charge at pH 7
- Negative (-)
- Other Information
- Called Glutamic Acid when protonated
