Abstract
Proteins are composed of l-amino acids except for glycine, which bears no asymmetric carbon atom. Accordingly, researchers have studied the function and metabolism of l-amino acids in living organisms but have paid less attention to the presence and roles of their d-enantiomers. However, with the recent developments in analytical techniques, the presence of various d-amino acids in the cells of various organisms and the importance of their roles have been revealed. For example, d-serine (d-Ser) and d-aspartate (d-Asp) act as neurotransmitters and hormone-like substances, respectively, in humans, whereas some kinds of d-amino acids act as a biofilm disassembly factor in bacteria. Interestingly, lactic acid bacteria produce various kinds of d-amino acids during fermentation, and many d-amino acids taste sweet, compared with the corresponding l-enantiomers. The influence of d-amino acids on human health and beauty has been reported in recent years. These facts suggest that the d-amino acids produced by lactic acid bacteria are important in terms of the taste and function of lactic-acid-fermented foods. Against this background, unique d-amino-acid-metabolizing enzymes have been searched for and observed in lactic acid bacteria. This review summarizes and introduces the importance of various d-amino acids in this regard.
Highlights
Proteins are basically made up of 20 kinds of α-amino acids in the form of monomers, and these amino acids have at least one asymmetric carbon, except for glycine
This finding led to the conclusion that d-amino acids were only rarely present in bacterial cell walls, but in the 1990s, the development of analytical techniques, such as chiral column chromatography, meant that various kinds of d-amino acids were identified in free forms in diverse organisms
These d-amino acids were initially considered to be derived from foods or enterobacteria, but it is known that some parts of d-amino acids such as d-serine (d-Ser) and d-Asp can be synthesized in mammalian cells. d-Amino acids have similar physical and chemical characteristics with l-amino acids, but the physiological functions of d-amino acids are completely different with those of l-amino acids
Summary
Proteins are basically made up of 20 kinds of α-amino acids in the form of monomers, and these amino acids have at least one asymmetric carbon, except for glycine. It was recently reported that some d-amino acids serve to prevent the formation of the biofilms of various kinds of bacteria and disassemble formed biofilms.
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