essential amino acid

Noun
  1. An amino acid that is required by animals but that they cannot synthesize;
    Must be supplied in the diet (synset 114629965)
    is a type of: amino acid, aminoalkanoic acid - organic compounds containing an amino group and a carboxylic acid group
    subtypes:
    • arginine - a bitter tasting amino acid found in proteins and necessary for nutrition; its absence from the diet leads to a reduced production of spermatozoa
    • histidine - an essential amino acid found in proteins that is important for the growth and repair of tissue
    • isoleucine - an essential amino acid found in proteins; isomeric with leucine
    • leucine - a white crystalline amino acid occurring in proteins that is essential for nutrition; obtained by the hydrolysis of most dietary proteins
    • lysine - an essential amino acid found in proteins; occurs especially in gelatin and casein
    • methionine - a crystalline amino acid containing sulfur; found in most proteins and essential for nutrition
    • phenylalanine - an essential amino acid found in proteins and needed for growth of children and for protein metabolism in children and adults; abundant in milk and eggs; it is normally converted to tyrosine in the human body
    • threonine - a colorless crystalline amino acid found in protein; occurs in the hydrolysates of certain proteins; an essential component of human nutrition
    • tryptophan, tryptophane - an amino acid that occurs in proteins; is essential for growth and normal metabolism; a precursor of niacin
    • valine - an essential amino acid found in proteins; important for growth in children and nitrogen balance in adults

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