Skip to content
canavanine
EntityQ418408· pop 14· linked from 121 articles

canavanine

Sign in to save

Also known as L-2-Amino-4-(Guanidinooxy)Butyric Acid

L-(+)-(S)-Canavanine is a non-proteinogenic amino acid found in certain leguminous plants. It is structurally related to the proteinogenic α-amino acid L-arginine, the sole difference being the replacement of a methylene bridge ( unit) in arginine with an oxa group (i.e., an oxygen atom) in canavanine. Canavanine is accumulated primarily in the seeds of the organisms which produce it, where it serves both as a highly deleterious defensive compound against herbivores (due to cells mistaking it for arginine) and a vital source of nitrogen for the growing embryo. The related L-canaline is similar

Research

1,092 papers

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Mass
176.091
Show 4 more facts
chemical formula
C₅H₁₂N₄O₃
canonical SMILES
C(CON=C(N)N)C(C(=O)O)N
isomeric SMILES
C(CON=C(N)N)[C@@H](C(=O)O)N
Commons category
Canavanine
Sources (4)

via Wikidata · CC0

~5 min read

Article

8 sections
Contents
  • Toxicity
  • In mammals
  • Tolerance
  • By metabolic detoxification
  • By selectivity
  • See also
  • References
  • Bibliography

{{Chembox | ImageFile = L-S-Canavanine.svg | ImageName = Chemical structure of L-(+)-(S)-canavanine | PIN = Canavanine | SystematicName = (2S)-2-amino-4-{[(diaminomethylidene)amino]oxy}butanoic acid |Section1= |Section2= |Section3= }}

L-(+)-(S)-Canavanine is a non-proteinogenic amino acid found in certain leguminous plants. It is structurally related to the proteinogenic α-amino acid L-arginine, the sole difference being the replacement of a methylene bridge ( unit) in arginine with an oxa group (i.e., an oxygen atom) in canavanine. Canavanine is accumulated primarily in the seeds of the organisms which produce it, where it serves both as a highly deleterious defensive compound against herbivores (due to cells mistaking it for arginine) and a vital source of nitrogen for the growing embryo. The related L-canaline is similar to ornithine.

Connections

Categories