Word: amino
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...basis of those conversations, the Justice Department accused ADM of conspiring with other food producers to fix the price of lysine, an amino acid and an additive to animal feed. The tapes were released to the public last Friday, and showed the executives giggling as they discussed what the price of lysine should be in various markets...
Researchers from the Netherlands studied the effect of coffee consumption on blood levels of homocysteine, a naturally occurring substance that forms when the body breaks down protein. Elevated levels of homocysteine have long been associated with an increased risk of heart disease. Exactly how this amino acid harms the heart is unclear, but our best guess is that it either makes the blood clot more frequently or damages the lining of blood vessels in the heart. (Genetic defects and vitamin deficiencies have also been shown to cause an elevation in homocysteine...
...gets attention but trivializes the potential of a new tool for decreasing the environmental impact of agrochemicals and improving the nutritional value of food. Insect- and herbicide-resistant crops substantially decrease the amount of agrochemicals applied in the environment. Similarly, crops engineered with increased vitamin, iron and balanced amino-acid content can improve the health of millions of people. These are the goals of conscientious scientists who want to make positive contributions to the human condition. DANIEL BUSH, Plant Biologist Urbana...
...what happens when they don't work? Several years ago, a company developed a soybean with some genetic threads borrowed from the Brazil nut in an attempt to boost the bean's amino-acid content. The soy began acting like the nut--so much so that it churned out not just amino acids but also chemicals that can trigger allergies in nut-sensitive consumers. The company quickly scrapped the product. Last spring a study published by Cornell University showed that pollen from some strains of corn with built-in pesticides can kill the larva of the Monarch butterfly, a pest...
ARGININE This amino acid is gaining popularity as a nonprescription treatment for high cholesterol. Animal studies and preliminary studies in humans suggest that arginine may improve coronary blood flow and lower cholesterol levels by acting as an antioxidant and helping keep blood-vessel tissue elastic. Doctors have yet to show, however, that arginine can actually prevent heart disease...