Tryptophan is an amino acid essential to survival. Amino acids serve as building blocks for proteins, as well as serving as starting points for the synthesis of vitamins and many other crucial cellular molecules. While most plants and microorganisms can produce all the amino acids they need, tryptophan is one of eight amino acids that cannot be produced by animals.
Biosynthesis of L-tryptophan through the Chorismate pathway. 1 anthranilate synthase, 2 phosphoribosyl diphosphate (PR) anthranilate transferase, 3 PR-anthrax
