Which among the following is an essential amino acid?

Concept:

• Amino acids are organic compounds containing both amino and carboxylic groups in their molecules.
• They also contain a side chain that varies and is specific to each amino acid.
• While there are over 500 amino acids occurring in nature, only 20 are required by our body..

Acidic, basic, and neutral amino acids.

• Whether an amino acid is basic or neutral depends on the relative number of amino and carboxylic groups in the molecule.
  • When Carboxylic group > amino group, the molecule is acidic.
  • When amino group > carboxylic group, the amino acid is basic.
  • When amino group = acid group, the molecule is neutral.

Explanation:

Essential and Non-essential:

• Amino acids are essential for the functioning of a healthy body.
• The human body can synthesize 10 out of 20 amino acids. They are called non-essential amino acids.
• To make up for the deficiency of rest we must include them in our diet.
• These 10 amino acids which the body cannot synthesize on its own and must be taken from external sources are called essential amino acids

The 10 essential amino acids are-

• Valine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Phenylalanine, Methionine, Tryptophan, Threonine, Lysine, Arginine, and Histidine.

The non essential amino acids are

•  Glycine, Alanine, Proline, Arginine, Asparagine, Aspartic acid, Cysteine, Tyrosine, Glutamic acid, Glutamine, and Serine.

Hence, the essential amino acid is Lycine.