alanine

A simple nonpolar amino acid in which the R group is CH₃. Alanine is formed in a transaminase reaction in which glutamine donates an amino group to pyruvic acid to form alanine and α-ketoglutaric acid. This reaction is reversible; alanine can be deaminated to pyruvate and subsequently oxidized in the TCA cycle. Along with aspartic acid, serine, glutamic acid, and glycine, alanine is one of the early products of photosynthesis.