Context
Recently, researchers discovered that leucine, an essential branched-chain amino acid, helps protect mitochondrial membrane proteins from premature degradation, highlighting its important role in maintaining cellular health.
About Leucine
- Leucine is an essential amino acid belonging to the branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) group, along with isoleucine and valine.
- As an essential amino acid, leucine must be obtained through the diet, as it cannot be synthesised by the human body.
- BCAAs are essential for the growth and normal functioning of muscles, the nervous system, the heart, and the brain.
- Leucine plays an important role in muscle growth, tissue repair, and energy production.
- It helps maintain the integrity of the outer mitochondrial membrane by preventing the premature degradation of its proteins.
- This protective function is mediated through its interaction with SEL1L, a protein involved in identifying and removing damaged or misfolded proteins.
About Amino Acids
- Amino acids are the basic building blocks of proteins, which perform essential structural and functional roles in living organisms.
- Proteins are composed of one or more polypeptide chains formed from 20 standard amino acids, with their sequence encoded by genes.
- While the body can synthesise some amino acids, essential amino acids must be obtained through the diet.
- The nine essential amino acids are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.
