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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology pp 1Cite as

Tyrosine

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Synonyms

4-hydroxyphenylalanine

Definition

Tyrosine is one of the 20 protein amino acids (Fig. 1). Its chemical structure is NH2CH(CH2C6H4OH)COOH. Its three-letter symbol is Tyr, and one-letter symbol is Y. Its molecular weight is 181.19, and its isoelectric point is 5.66. Tyrosine was found in cheese protein by von Liebig in 1846. Since its side chain has a phenol group (−C6H4OH), it is grouped as an aromatic amino acid together with phenylalanine and tryptophan. It has poorer solubility in water and organic solvents than most of other amino acids. Tyrosine has recently been detected in the extracts from Antarctic carbonaceous chondrites.

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Tyrosine

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yokohama National University, 240-8501, Yokohama, Japan

    Kensei Kobayashi

Authors
  1. Kensei Kobayashi
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Correspondence to Kensei Kobayashi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Kobayashi, K. (2014). Tyrosine. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1624-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1624-5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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