Glycine betaine aldehyde, often simply called betaine aldehyde,[1] is an intermediate in the metabolism of glycine, serine and threonine. The human aldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.3) stimulates the transformation of betaine aldehyde to glycine betaine. Betaine aldehyde is a substrate for choline dehydrogenase (mitochondrial).[2]
Chemical structure
Glycine betaine aldehyde is a short chain aldehyde and quaternary ammonium compound. It can be considered a derivative of the amino acid glycine. Its chemical formula is C5H12NO+.
Biological function
Glycine betaine aldehyde is a component of glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. It also serves as an osmolyte.
It can be found in cytoplasm and mitochondria within the kidney, neurons, and stratum corneum.[3]
References
- ^ Betaine aldehyde Archived 2007-11-24 at the Wayback Machine, Biological Magnetic Resonance Data Bank
- ^ Yilmaz JL, Bülow L. (December 2002). "Enhanced stress tolerance in Escherichia coli and Nicotiana tabacum expressing a betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase/choline dehydrogenase fusion protein". Biotechnol. Prog. 18 (6): 1176–82. doi:10.1021/bp020057k. PMID 12467448. S2CID 8054758.
- ^ [1], Human Metabolome Database