d-glutamic acid

D-glutamic acid is the D-enantiomer of glutamic acid, an optically active amino acid with the configuration (R)-2-aminopentanedioic acid. Unlike the more common L-form, which is a key neurotransmitter and involved in protein synthesis in humans, D-glutamic acid is primarily found in bacterial cell walls as a component of peptidoglycan. It plays an essential role in bacterial physiology by being incorporated into peptidoglycan precursors via specific enzymes such as murD and glutamate racemase. Industrially, it is used for research purposes and as a building block for biodegradable polymers like polyglutamic acids. In mammals, it has limited physiological roles but can act as an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis[1][4][5][7].

Other names

glutamic acid D-formD(-)-glutamic acid(R)-glutamic acidH-D-Glu-OHD-glutamate