Vitamin C: ascorbic acid

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(Free-Press-Release.com) March 1, 2005 -- Vitamin C

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), a reducing agent, is necessary to maintain the enzyme prolyl hydroxylase in an active form, most likely by keeping its iron atom in a reduced state. The precursor molecule to the protein collagen, procollagen, contains an unusual amino acid sequence in that every third amino acid is a glycine and contains a high frequency of two amino acids not found in any other proteins - hydroxyproline and hydroxylysine. These latter two amino acids are converted from proline and lysine, respectively, after the procollagen molecule has been synthesized. The hydroxylation of proline and lysine in procollagen is carried out by the enzyme prolyl hydroxylase using vitamin C as a cofactor.