Showing chemical card for β-alanine (CFc000338057)
Record Information
Version
1.0
Creation Date
Update Date
2022-09-14 05:32:16 UTC
Chemfont ID
CFc000338057
Molecule Identification
Common Name
β-alanine
Definition
Beta-alanine, also known as 3-aminopropionic acid or 3-aminopropanoate, belongs to beta amino acids and derivatives class of compounds. Those are amino acids having a (-NH2) group attached to the beta carbon atom. Beta-alanine is soluble (in water) and a weakly acidic compound (based on its pKa). Beta-alanine can be found in a number of food items such as rambutan, lemon thyme, root vegetables, and dandelion, which makes beta-alanine a potential biomarker for the consumption of these food products. Beta-alanine can be found primarily in most biofluids, including saliva, urine, blood, and feces, as well as throughout most human tissues. Beta-alanine exists in all living species, ranging from bacteria to humans. In humans, beta-alanine is involved in several metabolic pathways, some of which include beta-alanine metabolism, aspartate metabolism, pyrimidine metabolism, and propanoate metabolism. Beta-alanine is also involved in several metabolic disorders, some of which include UMP synthase deficiency (orotic aciduria), beta ureidopropionase deficiency, dihydropyrimidinase deficiency, and MNGIE (mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalopathy). Moreover, beta-alanine is found to be associated with hyper beta-alaninemia and gaba-transaminase deficiency. Beta-alanine is a non-carcinogenic (not listed by IARC) potentially toxic compound. β-Alanine (or beta-alanine) is a naturally occurring beta amino acid, which is an amino acid in which the amino group is at the β-position from the carboxylate group (i.e., two atoms away, see Figure 1). The IUPAC name for β-alanine is 3-aminopropanoic acid. Unlike its counterpart α-alanine, β-alanine has no stereocenter . Chronically high levels of beta-alanine are associated with at least 2 inborn errors of metabolism including: GABA-Transaminase Deficiency and Methylmalonate Semialdehyde Dehydrogenase Deficiency (T3DB).
Belongs to the class of organic compounds known as beta amino acids and derivatives. These are amino acids having a (-NH2) group attached to the beta carbon atom.
