Pyrrolysine. Molecular model of the amino acid pyrrolysine. Its chemical formula is C12.H21.N3.O3. Atoms are represented as rods and are colour- coded: carbon (blue),hydrogen (gold),oxygen (red) and nitrogen (dark blue). Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Pyrrolysine is used by methanogenic (methane-producing) archaea (single-celled microorganisms that lack a nucleus),such as Methanosarcina barkeri,which lives on the bottom of freshwater lakes. Pyrrolysine is involved in a specific type of anaerobic respiration in these microorganisms,where carbon dioxide or ethanoic acid is used to make energy and methane is produced as a waste product. To date (as of 2008),pyrrolysine has not been found to be used by any other type of organism | |
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