Aspartate
Aspartate is the salt of aspartic acid, or aspartic acid in dissociated form.
Aspartate is often involved in the active sites of proteins. The negatively charged aspartate can interact with positively charged atoms, such as various cations. Minerals such as potassium, sodium, zinc and magnesium can bind with aspartate. An example is magnesium aspartate – the chelated form that is used as a nutrition supplement.
Aspartate in the human body is one of the metabolites of the urea cycle, and participates in gluconeogenesis.
Aspartate acts as a neurotransmiter in the central nervous system. Aspartate stimulates NMDA receptors, but slightly lower than glutamate.
Aspartame is the artificial non-saccharide sweetener that is made of two aminoacids: phenylalanine and aspartate.
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