Asparagine is an amino acids found in proteins. In mammals, asparagine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning it does not need to be present in the diet. Asparagine is classified as an amide because it is an amide derivative of aspartic acid (Reaction 1 below). Asparagine functions as the protein anchor point for N-linked oligosaccharide-linked glycoproteins (See Figure 16.16).

Reactions invoving asparagine:

1. Aspartic Acid + ATP + NH3 (Glutamine) <=> Asparagine + AMP + PPi + Glutamate (catalyzed by Asparagine Synthetase - the enzyme strongly prefers to use the amine group of glutamine over that of free ammonia)

2. Asparagine + H2O <=> Aspartic Acid + NH3 (catalyzed by Asparaginase)

One Letter Code	Three Letter Code	Molecular Wt. (Daltons)	Genetic Code Codons
N	ASN	114.11	AAU, AAC