This edited volume comprehensively highlights recent advances in the metabolism, nutrition, physiology, and pathobiology of amino acids in all the systems of humans and other animals (including livestock, poultry, companion animals, and fish). It enables readers to understand the crucial roles of amino acids and their metabolites in the health and diseases of the circulatory, digestive, endocrine, immune, muscular, nervous, reproductive, respiratory, skeletal, and urinary systems, as well as the sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, skin, and tongue). Readers will learn that amino acids are not only the building blocks of protein, but are also signalling molecules, as well as regulators of gene expression, metabolic processes and developmental changes in the body. This knowledge will guide nutritional practices to improve the growth, development and health of humans and other animals, as well as prevent and treat chronic (e.g., obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders) and infectious (e.g., bacterial, fungal, parasite, and viral) diseases. Editor of this volume is an internationally recognized expert in nutritional biochemistry. He has over 38 years of experience with research and teaching at world-class universities in the area of amino acid biochemistry, nutrition, and physiology. He has published more than 625 papers in peer-reviewed journals, 62 chapters in books, and authored two text/reference books, with an H-index of 117 and more than 55,000 citations in Google Scholar. This publication is a useful reference for professionals as well as undergraduate and graduate students in animal science, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, biology, human medicine, food science, kinesiology, nursing, nutrition, pharmacology, physiology, toxicology, veterinary medicine, and other related disciplines. In addition, all chapters provide general and specific references to amino acids in systems health for researchers and practitioners in biomedicine, animal and plant agriculture, and aquaculture, and for government policy makers.

It is a commonly held belief that athletes, particularly body builders, have greater requirements for dietary protein than sedentary individuals. However, the evidence in support of this contention is controversial. This book is the latest in a series of publications designed to inform both civilian and military scientists and personnel about issues related to nutrition and military service. Among the many other stressors they experience, soldiers face unique nutritional demands during combat. Of particular concern is the role that dietary protein might play in controlling muscle mass and strength, response to injury and infection, and cognitive performance. The first part of the book contains the committee's summary of the workshop, responses to the Army's questions, conclusions, and recommendations. The remainder of the book contains papers contributed by speakers at the workshop on such topics as, the effects of aging and hormones on regulation of muscle mass and function, alterations in protein metabolism due to the stress of injury or infection, the role of individual amino acids, the components of proteins, as neurotransmitters, hormones, and modulators of various physiological processes, and the efficacy and safety considerations associated with dietary supplements aimed at enhancing performance.

This book presents the latest findings on amino acid fermentation and reviews the 50-year history of their development. The book is divided into four parts, the first of which presents a review of amino acid fermentation, past and present. The second part highlights selected examples of amino acid fermentation in more detail, while the third focuses on recent advanced technologies. The last part introduces readers to several topics for future research directions in amino acid production systems. A new field, “amino acid fermentation”, was created by the progress of academic research and industrial development. In 1908, the Japanese researcher Kikunae Ikeda discovered glutamate as an Umami substance. Then a new seasoning, MSG (monosodium glutamate), was commercialized. Although glutamate was extracted from the hydro-lysate of wheat or soybean in the early days, a new production method was subsequently invented – “fermentation” – in which glutamate is produced from sugars such as glucose by a certain bacterium called Corynebacterium. The topic of this volume is particularly connected in a significant way with biochemical, biotechnological, and microbial fields. Both professionals in industry and an academic audience will understand the importance of this volume.

Over the last decades, amino acids have been found to be of importance in many fields of science. Apart from their biological function, this family of organic compounds has been employed in the synthesis of a vast variety of salts, with impact on areas such as materials science, pharmaceutical or physical research. This covers a wide range, from the discovery of important ferroelectrics or non-linear optical materials to nutrients, flavor enhancers or drugs. This book describes amino acids and their salts with cations, anions and inorganic compounds from a chemical, physical and crystallographical point of view. Additional data on structural properties, crystal growth and the relation of structure and physical properties of amino acid salts is discussed.

Directed primarily to the health professional, this book covers all aspects of amino acid therapy and discusses conditions that respond particularly well to this treatment.

This text is suitable for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in chemistry and biochemistry studying amino acids and peptides. The authors concentrate on amino acids and peptides without detailed discussions of proteins, although the book gives all the essential background chemistry, including sequence determination, synthesis and spectroscopic methods, to enable the reader to appreciate protein behaviour at the molecular level. The approach is intended to encourage the reader to cross classical boundaries, as in the later chapters on the biological roles of amino acids and the design of peptide-based drugs. For example, there is a section on the enzyme-catalysed synthesis of peptides, with suitable examples, an area often neglected in texts describing peptide synthesis. This modern text will be of value in the amino acid, peptide and protein field, to advanced undergraduates, graduate students and research workers.