Lysine (symbol Lys or K) is an α-amino acid that is a precursor to many proteins. Lysine contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated −NH+3 form when the lysine is dissolved in water at physiological pH), an α-carboxylic acid group (which is in the deprotonated −COO− form when the lysine is dissolved in water at physiological pH), and a side chain (CH2)4NH2 (which is partially protonated when the lysine is dissolved in water at physiological pH), and so it is classified as a basic, charged (in water at physiological pH), aliphatic amino acid. It is encoded by the codons AAA and AAG. Like almost all other amino acids, the α-carbon is chiral and lysine may refer to either enantiomer or a racemic mixture of both. For the purpose of this article, lysine will refer to the biologically active enantiomer L-lysine, where the α-carbon is in the S configuration.
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