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Peptide Nomenclature Guide

Symbols and structures for amino acids

Common (“proteinogenic” or “coded”) amino acids have a three-letter symbol and are also represented by a one-letter symbol. Uncommon amino acids also have three-letter symbols and can be represented by the one-letter symbol “X”. The tables below list the symbols and abbreviations used in our website and literature.

• Table 1. Common Amino Acids
• Table 2. Uncommon Amino Acids
• Table 3. Substituents

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Table 1. Common Amino Acids

Key - Acidic Basic Non-polar (hydrophobic) Polar (uncharged)

Amino acid	Three-letter symbol	One-letter symbol	Chemical structure

Alanine	Ala	A
Arginine	Arg	R
Asparagine	Asn	N
Aspartic acid	Asp	D
Cysteine	Cys	C
Glutamine	Gln	Q
Glutamic acid	Glu	E
Glycine	Gly	G
Histidine	His	H
Isoleucine	Ile	I
Leucine	Leu	L
Lysine	Lys	K
Methionine	Met	M
Phenylalanine	Phe	F
Proline	Pro	P
Serine	Ser	S
Threonine	Thr	T
Tryptophan	Trp	W
Tyrosine	Tyr	Y
Valine	Val	V

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Table 2. Uncommon Amino Acids

Three letter symbol	Amino Acid

Aad	2-Aminoadipic acid (2-aminohexanedioic acid)
Aan	α-Asparagine
Abu	2-Aminobutanoic acid
Aca	2-Aminocapric acid (2-aminodecanoic acid)
Agn	α-Glutamine
Aib	α-Aminoisobutyric acid (α-methylalanine)
Apm	2-Aminopimelic acid (2-aminoheptanedioic acid)
App	γ-Amino-β-hydroxybenzenepentanoic acid
Asu	2-Aminosuberic acid (2-aminooctanedioic acid)
Aze	2-Carboxyazetidine
Bal	β-Alanine
Bas	β-Aspartic acid
Bly	3,6-Diaminohexanoic acid (β-lysine)
Bua	Butanoic acid
Bux	4-Amino-3-hydroxybutanoic acid
Cap	γ-Amino-β-hydroxycyclohexanepentanoic acid
Cha	3-Cyclohexylalanine
Cit	N5-Aminocarbonylornithine
Cya	3-Sulfoalanine
Dab	2,4-Diaminobutanoic acid
Dap	Diaminopropionic acid
Dpm	Diaminopimelic acid
Dpr	2,3-Diaminopropanoic acid
Dsu	2,7-Diaminosuberic acid (2,7-diaminooctanedioic acid)
Edc	S-Ethylthiocysteine
Ggu	γ-Glutamic acid
Gla	γ-Carboxyglutamic acid
Glc	Hydroxyacetic acid (glycolic acid)
Glp	Pyroglutamic acid (Pyr) (pGlu)
Har	Homoarginine
Hcy	Homocysteine
Hhs	Homohistidine
Hiv	2-Hydroxyisovaleric acid
Hse	Homoserine
Hva	2-Hydroxypentanoic acid
Hyl	5-Hydroxylysine
Hyp	4-Hydroxyproline
Igl	α-Amino-2-indanacetic acid
Iva	Isovaline
Lac	2-Hydroxypropanoic acid (lactic acid)
Maa	Mercaptoacetic acid
Mba	Mercaptobutanoic acid
Mhp	3-Hydroxy-4-methylproline
Mpa	Mercaptopropanoic acid
Nal	3-Naphthylalanine
Nle	Norleucine
Nphe	N-Benzylglycine
Nty	Nortyrosine
Nva	Norvaline
Oaa	ω-Amino acid
Oic	2-Carboxyoctahydroindole
Orn	Ornithine
Pen	Penicillamine (3-mercaptovaline)
Phg	2-Phenylglycine
Pip	2-Carboxypiperidine
pSer	Phospho-L-serine
pThr	Phospho-L-threonine
pTyr	Phospho-L-tyrosine
Sar	Sarcosine (N-methylglycine)
Spg	1-Amino-1-carboxycyclopentane
Sta	Statin (4-amino-3-hydroxy-6-methylheptanoic acid)
Thi	3-Thienylalanine
Tic	3-Carboxyisoquinoline
Tle	3-Methylvaline
Tml	ε-N-Trimethyllysine
Tza	3-Thiazolylalanine
Und	Undefined
Wil	α-Amino-2,4-dioxopyrimidinepropanoic acid

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Table 3. Substituents

Abbreviation	Substituent

Ac	Acetyl
Bn	Benzyl, Bzl
Bz	Benzoyl
For	Formyl
Me	Methyl
Myr	Myristoyl
Z	Benzyloxycarbonyl

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