20221219M-1172-AustinTX
V is for Valine, a strongly hydrophobic essential amino acid. It is encoded by all 4 codons starting with GU. Like other branch chain amino acids, it is synthesized by plants but not by animals. Valine is normally substituted for other BCAAs Leucine and Isoleucine.
Valine rarely is substituted for Glutamate, even though Glutamate is encoded by nearby codons GAA and GAG. The disease Sickle cell anemia results when this substitution happens in hemoglobin (https://doi.org/10.1177/0009922806297751).
Today I am spending time getting myself ready for whatever happens in a few days as I exit the wormhole.