Category: Uncategorized

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R is for Arginine, named from the Greek árgyros word meaning silver by German chemist Ernst Schulze, who first isolated it in 1886 as arginine nitrate crystals with a silver-white appearance. Arginine can be synthesized in the human body from Glutamine. Arginine is important in the regulation of blood pressure due to it being involved in the synthesis of nitric oxide, a signaling molecule that regulates vasodilation. Arginine is also important for T-cell function, and therefore the immune system.

Arginine is encoded by 6 codons: AGA, AGG, and the 4 codons starting with CG. Note that Glutamine, from which Arginine can be synthesized, is encoded by the nearby codons CAA and CAG. Arginine is often substituted by Lysine, which encoded by nearby codons AAA and AAG. Arginine is also often substituted by Histidine, encoded by nearby codons CAC and CAU.

Most people take in 4-6 grams of Arginine per day through their diet. Blood pressure studies used doses of 6-30 grams of Arginine per day. Erectile dysfunction research showed positive results with 1.5-5 grams of Arginine per day.

Research has shown a positive impact on hospitalized covid-19 patients (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.101125).

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Q is for Glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in the body. In addition to protein synthesis, it is also used as an energy source for the immune system and is used as a substrate for synthesis of nucleotides. Normally, the human body can synthesize the necessary amount of Glutamine. However, under stress conditions, Glutamine must be supplied through food sources.

Glutamine is encoded by the codons CAA and CAG. Glutamine is often replaced by Histidine, which is encoded by nearby codons CAC and CAU. It is also often replaced by Glutamate, which is encoded by nearby codons GAA and GAG.

Notice how multiple universes are linked together. Mutations can occur at the nucleotide level and “nearby universes” will have single nucleotide mutations. These often result in the protein function also being similar, so that the actual real world impact of the molecular mutations is often very small in these “nearby universes”. The genetic code itself has evolved in the multiverse to be robust against mutation so that evolution through mutation and selection can occur. This robustness is likely present in all universes in which there is life on earth, as we know it.

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Last night I enjoyed Grayson Kohl performing at OPA’s coffee and wine bar. I had dinner plans with Z that seemed to be on then off then on then off. The last seven days exiting this wormhole seem to be affecting me. I woke up sick this morning with a cold. I’m also noticing that I’m feeling edgy, easily triggered, and depressed.

P is for Proline. It is encoded by all codons starting with CC. It is uniquely shaped being the only proteinogenic amino acids with a secondary amine. The ring caused by this secondary amine is important in structural proteins.

A Proline rich diet may increase depression in humans (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2022.04.001).

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N is for Asparagine. Asparagine is non-essential and encoded by the codons AAU and AAC. Nearby codons GAU and GAC encode the often substituted and similarly sized amino acid Aspartate.

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I played my Amino Acid song at House Wine on Monday.

M is for Monday.

M is for Methionine.

Methionine restricted diets have been shown to increase longevity. See https://brendadavisrd.com/methionine-restricted-diet/ for more info.

Methionine is an essential amino acid encoded by AUG, which is also the start codon in Eukaryotes and Archaea.