Names | |
---|---|
IUPAC names
Trivial: Aspartic acid
Systematic: 2-Aminobutanedioic acid |
|
Other names
Aminosuccinic acid, asparagic acid, asparaginic acid
|
|
Identifiers | |
617-45-8 56-84-8 (L-isomer) 1783-96-6 (D-isomer) |
|
3D model (Jmol) |
Interactive image Interactive image |
ChEBI | CHEBI:22660 |
ChEMBL | ChEMBL139661 |
ChemSpider | 411 |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.000.265 |
EC Number | 200-291-6 |
KEGG | C16433 |
PubChem | 424 |
UNII | 28XF4669EP |
|
|
|
|
Properties | |
C4H7NO4 | |
Molar mass | 133.10 g·mol−1 |
Appearance | colourless crystals |
Density | 1.7 g/cm3 |
Melting point | 270 °C (518 °F; 543 K) |
Boiling point | 324 °C (615 °F; 597 K) (decomposes) |
4.5 g/L | |
Acidity (pKa) | 3.9 |
-64.2·10−6 cm3/mol | |
Hazards | |
Safety data sheet | See: data page |
NFPA 704 | |
Supplementary data page | |
Refractive index (n), Dielectric constant (εr), etc. |
|
Thermodynamic
data |
Phase behaviour solid–liquid–gas |
UV, IR, NMR, MS | |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
|
|
what is ?) | (|
Infobox references | |
Aspartic acid (abbreviated as Asp or D; encoded by the codons [GAU and GAC]), also known as aspartate, is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated −NH+
3 form under biological conditions), an α-carboxylic acid group (which is in the deprotonated −COO− form under biological conditions), and a side chain CH2COOH. Under physiological conditions in proteins the sidechain usually occurs as the negatively charged aspartate form, −COO−. It is semi-essential in humans, meaning the body can synthesize it from oxaloacetate.
In proteins aspartate sidechains are often hydrogen bonded, often as asx turns or asx motifs, which often occur at the N-termini of alpha helices.
Asp's L-isomer is one of the 23 proteinogenic amino acids, i.e., the building blocks of proteins. Asp (and glutamic acid) is classified as acidic, with a pKa of 3.9, however in a peptide this is highly dependent on the local environment (as with all amino acids), and could be as high as 14. Asp is pervasive in biosynthesis.
L-aspartic acid is one of the two main ingredients of the artificial sweetener aspartame, along with L-phenylalanine.
Aspartic acid was first discovered in 1827 by Auguste-Arthur Plisson and Étienne Ossian Henry, derived from asparagine, which had been isolated from asparagus juice in 1806, by boiling with a base.
There are two forms or enantiomers of aspartic acid. The name "aspartic acid" can refer to either enantiomer or a mixture of two. Of these two forms, only one, "L-aspartic acid", is directly incorporated into proteins. The biological roles of its counterpart, "D-aspartic acid" are more limited. Where enzymatic synthesis will produce one or the other, most chemical syntheses will produce both forms, "DL-aspartic acid," known as a racemic mixture.