Dlysine

Dlysine refers to the D-enantiomer of the amino acid lysine. In biochemistry, amino acids exist as mirror-image forms, or enantiomers; proteins in most organisms predominantly use the L form, while the D form is far less common in standard protein synthesis. D-lysine occurs in nature at low levels, is sometimes found in certain bacterial cell wall components, and is broadly used in research and chemical synthesis as a chiral building block.

In nature and research, D-lysine is not considered a nutritionally essential amino acid for humans. Most human metabolic enzymes are specific for L-lysine, and dietary lysine is consumed in the L- form. D-lysine therefore has limited roles in normal human physiology, but it is of interest in scientific studies and industry as a substrate for racemization experiments, and as a component in the design of D-lysine-containing peptides and peptidomimetics. Its presence can influence protease resistance and pharmacokinetic properties in certain synthetic constructs.

Applications of D-lysine primarily arise in chemistry and biotechnology. It can be produced by chemical synthesis or through enzymatic resolution of racemic DL-lysine mixtures. It serves as a chiral building block for the preparation of D-amino acid-containing drugs, research probes, and materials. In microbial systems, D-lysine and other D-amino acids contribute to understanding cell wall assembly and enzyme specificity, though these roles are typically outside standard human nutrition. Safety and regulatory considerations for D-lysine relate to its specific use context, as with other non-naturally dominant amino acids.