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Carnitine: An osmolyte that plays a metabolic role
Author(s) -
Peluso Gianfranco,
Barbarisi Alfonso,
Savica Vincenzo,
Reda Emilia,
Nicolai Raffaella,
Benatti Paola,
Calvani Menotti
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of cellular biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.028
H-Index - 165
eISSN - 1097-4644
pISSN - 0730-2312
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4644(20010101)80:1<1::aid-jcb10>3.0.co;2-w
Subject(s) - carnitine , osmolyte , methylamine , osmoprotectant , biochemistry , chemistry , biology , amino acid , proline
Carnitine, gamma‐trimethyl‐beta‐hydroxybutyrobetaine, is a small molecule widely present in all cells from prokaryotic to eukaryotic ones. It is the sole source of carbon and nitrogen in some bacteria; it serves as osmoprotectant in others. It is a carrier of acyl moieties, and exclusively of long‐chain fatty acids for mitochondrial beta‐oxidation in mammals. The conspicuously similar composition of the intracellular milieu among widely different species in relation to organic osmolyte systems involves the methylamine family to which carnitine belongs. This prompted us to examine the osmolytic properties of carnitine in an attempt to clarify the metabolic functions carnitine has acquired during evolution. An understanding of the metabolic functions of this organic compatible solute impinge on research involving this compound. J. Cell. Biochem. 80:1–10, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.