Definition of aspartic acid in English:
aspartic acid
nounəˈspɑːtɪkəˌspärtik ˈasid
mass nounBiochemistry An acidic amino acid which is a constituent of most proteins, and also occurs in sugar cane. It is important in the metabolism of nitrogen in animals, and also acts as a neurotransmitter.
Chemical formula: COOHCH₂CH(NH₂)COOH
Example sentencesExamples
- Aspartame is an odorless, white crystalline powder derived from two amino acids, aspartic acid and phenylalanine.
- Aspartame, a dipeptide of aspartic acid and a methyl ester of phenylalanine, is 200 times sweeter than sugar.
- Carefully read food labels to see where you might be unknowingly ingesting aspartame; manufacturers sometimes list it as its components, the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine.
- Infusion of the amino acids lysine and arginine, but not aspartic acid or glutamic acid, have been shown to stimulate the release of insulin in horses.
- The aspartic acid in aspartame excites brain cells, some say to a dangerous level.
Origin
Mid 19th century: aspartic from French aspartique, formed arbitrarily from Latin asparagus (see asparagus).