Beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) in novel South African cyanobacterial isolates

M Esterhuizen1, T G Downing

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 1600, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.

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Physical Properties of Amines01:26

Physical Properties of Amines

Amines with low molecular weight are usually gaseous at room temperature, while those with high molecular weight are liquid or solids in nature. Usually, low molecular weight amines have a rotten fish-like smell. Diamines typically have a pungent smell. For instance, cadaverine and putrescine, depicted in Figure 1, are two molecules responsible for decaying tissue.
Mass Spectrometry of Amines01:15

Mass Spectrometry of Amines

In mass spectroscopy, amines undergo fragmentation to give parent ions with odd molecule weights. This observed mass spectrum follows the nitrogen rule; a molecule with an odd number of nitrogen atoms produces a molecular ion with an odd molecular weight. Amines undergo fragmentation through α cleavage, producing nitrogen-containing cations—iminium ions—and alkyl radicals. Mass spectra of aromatic and cyclic aliphatic amines exhibit strong molecular ion peaks, but acyclic aliphatic amines show...
Nomenclature of Secondary and Tertiary Amines01:12

Nomenclature of Secondary and Tertiary Amines

The secondary and tertiary amines are derivatives of ammonia, where two and three of its hydrogens are replaced by alkyl groups, respectively. Secondary and tertiary amines can be symmetrical with identical alkyl groups attached to the nitrogen atom or unsymmetrical when more than one type of alkyl group is present. The standard nomenclature of secondary and tertiary amines is similar to the names given to the primary amines. They are generally named alkylamines. As depicted in Figure 1, for...
Preparation of Amines: Reductive Amination of Aldehydes and Ketones01:38

Preparation of Amines: Reductive Amination of Aldehydes and Ketones

Carbonyl compounds and primary amines undergo reductive amination first to produce imines, followed by secondary amines in the same reaction mixture, using selective reducing agents like sodium cyanoborohydride or sodium triacetoxyborohydride. Reductive amination produces different degrees of substitution of amines depending on the starting amine substrate.
Amines: Introduction01:07

Amines: Introduction

Amines are organic derivatives of ammonia. They are formed by replacing one or more ammonia protons with alkyl or aryl groups. Depending upon the number of organyl groups bonded to nitrogen, amines are classified as primary, secondary, or tertiary. Primary amines have one organyl group attached to the nitrogen atom, while secondary and tertiary amines have two and three organyl groups attached to the nitrogen atom, respectively.
Amino acids03:42

Amino acids

Amino acids are the monomers that comprise proteins. Each amino acid has the same fundamental structure, which consists of a central carbon atom, or the alpha (α) carbon, bonded to an amino group (NH2), a carboxyl group (COOH), and to a hydrogen atom. Every amino acid also has another atom or group of atoms bonded to the central atom known as the R group. There are 20 common amino acids present in proteins, each with a different R group. Variation in the amino acid sequence is responsible for...