Glycine Micro Molecule

This is a framework molecular model kit of the Amino Acid Glycine.  This is part of our new line of MicroMolecules that are one half the scale of our regular framework molecular models at 0.5 inch per 1 Angstrom. The finished molecule literally fits in the palm of your hand.  No assembly required. Stay tuned for the release of all of the amino acids and other series soon to come.

Glycine is an amino acid that has a single hydrogen atom as its side chain. It is the simplest stable amino acid (carbamic acid is unstable), with the chemical formulaNH₂‐CH₂‐COOH. Glycine is one of the proteinogenic amino acids.  Glycine is integral to the formation of alpha-helices in secondary protein structure due to its compact form. For the same reason, it is the most abundant amino acid in collagen triple-helices. Glycine is also an inhibitory neurotransmitter – interference with its release within the spinal cord (such as during a Clostridium tetani infection) can cause spastic paralysis due to uninhibited muscle contraction.

The principal function of glycine is it acts as a precursor to proteins. Most proteins incorporate only small quantities of glycine, a notable exception being collagen, which contains about 35% glycine due to its periodically repeated role in the formation of collagen's helix structure in conjunction with hydroxyproline.^[27][31] In the genetic code, glycine is coded by all codons starting with GG, namely GGU, GGC, GGA and GGG.

CAUTION: THESE MOLECULES CONTAIN MANY SMALL PARTS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS OF AGE.