Tricholomic acid is a
non-proteinogenic amino acid
In biochemistry, non-coded or non-proteinogenic amino acids are distinct from the 22 proteinogenic amino acids (21 in eukaryotesplus formylmethionine in eukaryotes with prokaryote organelles like mitochondria) which are naturally encoded in the ge ...
found in some mushrooms, including ''
Tricholoma muscarium
''Tricholoma muscarium'' is a mushroom found in Japan.
Toxicity
''Tricholoma muscarium'' contains ibotenic acid
Ibotenic acid or (''S'')-2-amino-2-(3-hydroxyisoxazol-5-yl)acetic acid, also referred to as ibotenate, is a chemical compound and ...
''.
It has a chemical structure similar to
glutamic acid, hence the synonym cycloglutamate, and it interacts with
glutamate receptor
Glutamate receptors are synaptic and non synaptic receptors located primarily on the membranes of neuronal and glial cells. Glutamate (the conjugate base of glutamic acid) is abundant in the human body, but particularly in the nervous system ...
s. Because glutamate receptors are thought to be responsible for the reception of
umami
Umami ( from ja, 旨味 ), or savoriness, is one of the five basic tastes. It has been described as savory and is characteristic of broths and cooked meats.
People taste umami through taste receptors that typically respond to glutamates and ...
taste, tricholomic acid and close
analogs have been investigated as
flavor enhancer
A flavoring (or flavouring), also known as flavor (or flavour) or flavorant, is a food additive used to improve the taste or smell of food. It changes the perceptual impression of food as determined primarily by the chemoreceptors of the gust ...
s.
See also
*
Ibotenic acid
Ibotenic acid or (''S'')-2-amino-2-(3-hydroxyisoxazol-5-yl)acetic acid, also referred to as ibotenate, is a chemical compound and psychoactive drug which occurs naturally in ''Amanita muscaria'' and related species of mushrooms typically found i ...
, a related compound found in mushrooms
References
{{reflist
External links
Tricholomic acid Human Metabolome Database
Non-proteinogenic amino acids
Isoxazolidinones