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Molecule

Lysine

L-lysine

Lysine has a long side chain ending in a positively charged amino group, which can interact with negatively charged molecules.

Overview

EXPLORE BY LEVEL

Lysine has a long side chain ending in a positively charged amino group, which can interact with negatively charged molecules.

Quick Facts

AT A GLANCE
One-letter codeK
Three-letter codeLys
Chemical formulaC₆H₁₄N₂O₂
Side chainAmino group at the end of a long carbon chain
Show 3 more facts
Side-chain chemistryBasic; positively charged at physiological pH
Human dietary contextEssential in the human diet
Protein-building setOne of the 20 standard protein-building amino acids

Follow the Connections

See how Lysine links to other biological records.

Open network
ConceptAmino AcidsincludesProcessTranslationincorporated during
All 2 Structured Connections
Amino Acids · ConceptINCLUDES →Lysine · Molecule
Lysine · MoleculeINCORPORATED DURING →Translation · Process

Recommended Reading

Trusted references for learning more about Lysine.

textbookChemical Components of a CellMolecular Biology of the Cell · NCBI Bookshelf textbookFrom RNA to proteinMolecular Biology of the Cell · NCBI Bookshelf textbookBiochemistry · Essential Amino AcidsNCBI Bookshelf · StatPearls
Research Claims

Lysine is a standard amino acid commonly used to build proteins.

Lysine uses the residue codes Lys and K.

Lysine is classified as essential in the usual human diet.