3-Methylornithine


3-Methylornithine is an amino acid with the formula H2N2CHCHCO2H. This amino acid contains two stereogenic centers, but only one stereoisomer occurs in nature. It is produced from lysine by the action of the enzyme methylornithine synthase. The combination of lysine and 3-methylornithine, also mediated enzymatically, produces pyrrolysine, which, for a few organisms, is a "22nd" genetically coded amino acid.