Phenylalanine:Anessentialamino acid. (Thehuman bodycannot make it so it is essential to the diet.)Phenylalaninethat is ingested is largely transformed (hydroxylated) to form the amino acidtyrosine, which is usedinproteinsynthesis. Too little phenylalanine curbs physical and intellectual growth. Too much phenylalanine, as in phenylketonuria (PKU), is highly toxic to thebrain. Phenylanine was first isolated in 1879 and first synthesized in 1882. Symbol:Phe.
See alsoPhenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency;苯丙酮酸尿(北大);Maternal phenylketonuria.
