α-Methyl-DL-Methionine (CAS 2749-07-7)

α-Methyl-DL-Methionine is an analog of the amino acid methionine, where a methyl group is added to the alpha carbon. This slight modification in structure leads to its use in biochemical research where it acts as a tool to study methionine metabolism and the role of methionine in various biological processes. Researchers utilize alpha-Methyl-DL-Methionine to investigate the effects of altered methionine availability on protein synthesis and methylation pathways within cells. This compound is also of interest in enzymology, where it can serve as a substrate or inhibitor depending on the specificity of the enzyme being studied. The DL notation indicates that the compound is a racemic mixture, containing both the D- and L-enantiomers of alpha-Methyl-Methionine, which is useful for comparative studies of stereospecific enzymatic reactions. Additionally, it is employed in nutritional studies to understand the impact of methionine analogs on growth and metabolism in various organisms.