Is the first amino acid to be isolated from a natural source. It was extracted from asparagus juice in 1806, but was not detected in proteins until 1932. Asparagine is not essential for humans as it can be obtained from aspartic acid. Asparagine is mainly found in animal proteins and has a similar structure to aspartic acid. Like glutamine, asparagine is needed to transport nitrogen in the body, which is required for many biochemical reactions in the body. Asparagine is also involved in the formation of glycoproteins (sugar-protein molecules). These are important for the immune system (immune receptors) and help to recognize cell identity.
