This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on Acetyl is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
In organic chemistry, acetyl (ethanoyl), is a functional group, the acyl of acetic acid, with chemical formula -COCH3. It is sometimes abbreviated as Ac (not to be confused with the element actinium). The acetyl radical contains a methyl group single-bonded to a carbonyl. The carbon of the carbonyl has a lone electron available, with which it forms a chemical bond to the remainder R of the molecule.
The acetyl radical is a component of many organic compounds, including the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and acetyl-CoA, and the analgesics acetaminophen and acetylsalicylic acid (better known as aspirin).
Contents |
Acetylation
The introduction of an acetyl group into a molecule is called acetylation (or ethanoylation). In biological organisms, acetyl groups are commonly transferred bound to Coenzyme A (CoA), in the form of acetyl-CoA. Acetyl-CoA is an important intermediate both in the biological synthesis and in the breakdown of many organic molecules.
Acetyl groups are also frequently added to histones and other proteins modifying their properties. For example, on the DNA level, histone acetylation by acetyltransferases (HATs) causes an expansion of chromatin architecture allowing for genetic transcription to take place. Conversely, removal of the acetyl group by histone deacetylases (HDACs) condenses DNA structure, thereby preventing transcription.[1]
Chemical acetylation can be achieved using a variety of methods, most commonly by the use of acetic anhydride or acetyl chloride in the presence of a tertiary or aromatic amine base.
Pharmacology
When acetyl groups are bound to certain other organic molecules, they impart an increased ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. This makes the drug reach the brain more quickly, making the drug's effects more intense and increasing the effectiveness of a given dose. Acetyl groups are used to make the natural anti-inflammatant salicylic acid into the more effective acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin. Similarly, they make the natural painkiller morphine into diacetylmorphine, or heroin.
Most recently, the supplement industry touts acetyl-L-carnitine as being more effective than other preparations of carnitine. Also, research on irradiated rodents shows resveratrol attached to acetyl as holding promise as one of the first anti-radiation medicines for human populations. For citation, see the webpage article of http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080923181110.htm.
References
- ^ North B, Verdin E (2004). "Sirtuins: Sir2-related NAD-dependent protein deacetylases". Genome Biol 5 (5): 224. doi:. PMID 15128440.
See also
- Acetoxy group
- Functional group
- Histone acetylation and deacetylation
- Acetal
- Polyoxymethylene plastic, a.k.a. acetal resin, a thermoplastic
 |
This organic chemistry article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 28 September 2008, at 22:37.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Acetyl".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.