Hydroxyproline

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hydroxyproline
IUPAC name 4-hydroxypyrrolidine-
2-carboxylic acid
Identifiers
CAS number [51-35-4]
PubChem 825
MeSH Hydroxyproline
Properties
Molecular formula C5H9NO3
Molar mass 131.13
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state
(at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Infobox disclaimer and references

4-Hydroxyproline, or hydroxyproline (C5H9O3N), is an uncommon amino acid, abbreviated as HYP, e.g., in Protein Data Bank.

Contents

[edit] Structure

Hydroxyproline differs from proline by the presence of a hydroxyl (OH) group attached to the C (gamma) atom.

Other hydroxyprolines also exist in nature, notably 2,3-cis 3,4-trans-dihydroxyproline, which occurs in diatom cell walls, and is postulated to have a role in silica deposition.

[edit] Production and function

Hydroxyproline is produced by hydroxylation of the amino acid proline. It is not directly coded for by DNA, however, and is hydroxylated after protein synthesis.

Hydroxyproline is a major component of the protein collagen. Hydroxyproline and proline play key roles for collagen stability.[1] They permit the sharp twisting of the collagen helix.[2] It helps provide stability to the triple-helical structure of collagen by forming hydrogen bonds. Hydroxyproline is found in few proteins other than collagen. The only other mammalian protein which includes hydroxyproline is elastin.[3] For this reason, hydroxyproline content has been used as an indicator to determine collagen and/or gelatin amount.

[edit] Clinical significance

Proline hydroxylation requires ascorbic acid. The most obvious, first effects (gum and hair problems) of absence of ascorbic acid in humans come from the resulting defect in hydroxylation of proline residues of collagen, with reduced stability of the collagen molecule causing scurvy.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Nelson, D. L. and Cox, M. M. (2005) Lehninger's Principles of Biochemistry, 4th Edition, W. H. Freeman and Company, New York.
  2. ^ Brinckmann, J., Notbohm, H. and Müller, P. K. (2005) Collagen, Topics in Current Chemistry 247, Springer, Berlin.
  3. ^ Ward, A. G. and Courts, A. (1977) The Science and Technology of Gelatin, Academic Press, New York.

[edit] Additional images

[edit] External links

In other languages