The Precursor of the Amino Acid Alanine is 3-Phosphopyruvate
Three-Phosphopyruvate (3 Pyr) is an intermediate of the glycolysis process and a precursor for the amino acids alanine. Alanine, one of twenty major amino acids in proteins is essential for energy metabolism. Through the enzyme alanine aminotransferase, 3-Pyr can be converted to alanine. (Shimizu. et al. 2016). ALAT facilitates the exchange of an amino chain from glutamate into 3-Pyr. This forms alanine as well as oxaloacetate. Alanine is an essential part of the body. It provides energy to muscles, and balances nitrogen levels. Alanine can be released from muscles and then converted into glucose by the liver during stress. This provides an extra source of energy (Kushnir, et al. 2020). Alanine is also helpful in reducing the amount of toxic metabolites and maintaining the acid-base equilibrium in the body. Cont….
Justus von Liebig (1847) was the first to describe the role of alanine within human biology.