Aminoacidica

Aminoacidica is an adjective used to describe phenomena, substances, or properties pertaining to amino acids, the organic compounds that serve as the building blocks of proteins. In biochemistry, the term may refer to amino acids themselves, to peptides and proteins composed of amino acid residues, or to processes and measurements that involve amino acids. The usage is more common in Romance-language scientific literature and may appear in contexts discussing nutrition, metabolism, or protein structure.

In chemical terms, amino acids contain an amino group (-NH2), a carboxyl group (-COOH), a hydrogen, and a distinctive side chain (R) attached to a central carbon. At physiological pH they typically exist as zwitterions, with a positively charged amino group and a negatively charged carboxylate. Based on the side chain, amino acids are classified as nonpolar, polar uncharged, acidic, or basic. Some amino acids are essential for humans and must be obtained from the diet, while others can be synthesized endogenously.

Biological roles include the assembly of proteins during translation, the formation of enzymes, signaling molecules, and metabolic intermediates. The amino acid composition of a protein, and the sequence of amino acids, determine its structure and function. In nutrition, the aminoacidica content of foods is analyzed to assess protein quality and dietary adequacy.

Amino acid metabolism disorders, such as phenylketonuria and maple syrup urine disease, illustrate the importance of proper aminoacidica balance in health. The term aminoacidica thus encompasses basic chemistry, biology, and nutrition as they relate to amino acids.