Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Lysine

Lysine is an essential α-amino acid, denoted Lys or K, bearing a positively charged ε-amino side chain that the human body cannot synthesise and must obtain from dietary protein. As a proteinogenic residue it contributes to protein structure and stability, participates in ionic interactions and substrate binding, an…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 12 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 52× across the literature 🗓 Reviewed October 2026

Overview

Lysine is an essential α-amino acid, denoted Lys or K, bearing a positively charged ε-amino side chain that the human body cannot synthesise and must obtain from dietary protein. As a proteinogenic residue it contributes to protein structure and stability, participates in ionic interactions and substrate binding, and serves as a key site for post-translational modifications such as acetylation, methylation, ubiquitination, and crosslinking. Its reactive ε-amino group makes lysine central to non-enzymatic glycation and the formation of advanced glycation end-products, in which reactions with reducing sugars and dicarbonyls such as methylglyoxal generate crosslinks and reactive oxygen species relevant to ageing and metabolic disease. The same reactivity necessitates side-chain protection strategies during solid-phase peptide synthesis, an active area of methodological development. Lysine also influences collagen formation, calcium handling, and immune function, and its availability is a determining factor in protein quality and nutrition across human and animal diets. Research in this area further examines lysine-related chemistry in food processing, including Maillard reactions and hydroxymethylfurfural formation. The journal publishes peer-reviewed research on amino-acid chemistry, metabolism, and the biochemical roles of lysine in biological and applied systems.

Research published in this journal

12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

2015

Epigenetics and Nutrition

Kenneth LundstromCorresponding author
Exact topic International Journal of Nutrition Cited by 2 doi:10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-14-603

How this research is being cited

The 12 articles above have been cited 52 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Lysine, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in International Journal of Amino Acids.

Journal editorial board
Nicolas Inguimbert · France Sobhy Mohamed Gomaa · Egypt Otavio Augusto Chaves · Brazil

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.