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Isoaspartic Acid

Meaning

Isoaspartic Acid is an aberrant, non-canonical amino acid residue that forms spontaneously within the polypeptide chain of proteins, serving as a significant molecular marker of protein damage and cellular senescence. It is a product of non-enzymatic post-translational modification, specifically the breakdown of asparagine or aspartic acid residues, and represents a structural error in the protein backbone. The accumulation of isoaspartic acid in long-lived proteins is strongly correlated with loss of function and the aging process.