Methylglutamate
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''N''-Methyl--glutamic acid (methylglutamate) is a chemical
derivative In mathematics, the derivative is a fundamental tool that quantifies the sensitivity to change of a function's output with respect to its input. The derivative of a function of a single variable at a chosen input value, when it exists, is t ...
of
glutamic acid Glutamic acid (symbol Glu or E; known as glutamate in its anionic form) is an α- amino acid that is used by almost all living beings in the biosynthesis of proteins. It is a non-essential nutrient for humans, meaning that the human body can ...
in which a
methyl group In organic chemistry, a methyl group is an alkyl derived from methane, containing one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms, having chemical formula (whereas normal methane has the formula ). In formulas, the group is often abbreviated a ...
has been added to the
amino group In chemistry, amines (, ) are organic compounds that contain carbon-nitrogen bonds. Amines are formed when one or more hydrogen atoms in ammonia are replaced by alkyl or aryl groups. The nitrogen atom in an amine possesses a lone pair of elec ...
. It is an intermediate in methane metabolism. Biosynthetically, it is produced from
methylamine Methylamine, also known as methanamine, is an organic compound with a formula of . This colorless gas is a derivative of ammonia, but with one hydrogen atom being replaced by a methyl group. It is the simplest primary amine. Methylamine is sold ...
and
glutamic acid Glutamic acid (symbol Glu or E; known as glutamate in its anionic form) is an α- amino acid that is used by almost all living beings in the biosynthesis of proteins. It is a non-essential nutrient for humans, meaning that the human body can ...
by the enzyme methylamine—glutamate ''N''-methyltransferase. It can also be demethylated by
methylglutamate dehydrogenase In enzymology, a methylglutamate dehydrogenase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction :N-methyl-L-glutamate + acceptor + H2O \rightleftharpoons L-glutamate + formaldehyde + reduced acceptor The 3 substrates of this enzyme are N-met ...
to regenerate glutamic acid.


References

Amino acid derivatives Dicarboxylic acids Secondary amino acids {{OrganicAcid-stub