CHAPTER 4: The Chemistry of Betaine
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Published:15 May 2015
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P. G. Takis, K. D. Papavasileiou, A. N. Troganis, and V. S. Melissas, in Betaine: Chemistry, Analysis, Function and Effects, ed. V. R. Preedy, The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2015, pp. 47-61.
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In this short overview, a summary and brief explanation of the most important biological functions of betaine is attempted, under the prism of its chemistry and physical properties behavior. Simply put, betaine is an organic molecule and its structure is that of the amino acid glycine, with the difference being that the amino group is trimethylated. Several plants have natural abundance of betaine, while humans either obtain betaine by food intake or synthesize it through choline oxidation. This molecule belongs to the general family of osmolytes, since it is found to play an osmoprotective role during osmotic stress environmental conditions in bacterial, plant and human cells. Moreover, betaine acts as a methyl donor during DNA methylation, resulting to a crucial organic molecule for biological processes of major importance for cells function. Betaine contributes to the stabilization of proteins as well as DNA structure, indirectly, namely through its direct interactions with water molecules close to the hydration shell of proteins and DNA. All the above-mentioned physicochemistry-related biological functions of betaine are briefly exhibited in this chapter.