Glutamic Acid Complexes and their Biochemical Properties

Glutamic acid (Glu, E) is a central amino acid in metabolism and neurotransmission. Beyond its free form, glutamic acid forms a wide range of complex compounds — metal coordination complexes, Schiff-base derivatives, peptide/oligomeric assemblies, and supramolecular salts — with important biochemical consequences. This IMRaD-style review summarizes the known structural classes of glutamate complexes, their coordination chemistry, spectroscopic fingerprints, and the biochemical properties that arise from complexation: altered transport and receptor interactions, modified enzymatic recognition, redox activity, and potential therapeutic or toxicological effects. Methods describe the literature-search strategy and inclusion criteria. Results synthesize recurring patterns (coordination modes, metal preferences, biological activities) and highlight representative examples for copper, zinc, iron, and transition-metal complexes as well as organometallic and supramolecular assemblies. The Discussion interprets how complexation modulates glutamate’s biological roles and outlines gaps and promising directions for biochemical and biomedical research.