Aims & Scope
International Journal of Amino Acids (IJAA) publishes rigorous, peer-reviewed research on the chemistry, biochemistry, metabolism, and biological functions of amino acids and their derivatives. We focus on molecular mechanisms, metabolic pathways, and translational applications across health and disease.
Research Scope: Tiered Structure
Tier 1: Core Research Domains
Amino Acid Biochemistry & Metabolism
- Biosynthesis and catabolism pathways
- Metabolic regulation and enzyme kinetics
- Stable isotope tracing and flux analysis
- Branched-chain, aromatic, and sulfur amino acids
- Essential and non-essential amino acid homeostasis
- Metabolic disorders (phenylketonuria, maple syrup urine disease)
"Isotope tracing reveals leucine oxidation rates in skeletal muscle under fasting conditions"
Protein Modifications & Signaling
- Post-translational modifications (phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation)
- Glycosylation and non-enzymatic glycosylation
- Amino acid-derived signaling molecules
- mTOR and amino acid sensing pathways
- Protein cross-linking and structural modifications
- Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and translation regulation
"Arginine methylation regulates transcription factor activity in immune cell differentiation"
Peptides & Amino Acid Derivatives
- Bioactive peptides and peptide hormones
- Amino acid analogues and derivatives
- D-amino acids and racemization mechanisms
- Polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, spermine)
- Aminolevulinic acid and porphyrin metabolism
- Peptide synthesis and chemical modifications
"Spermidine supplementation induces autophagy and extends lifespan in model organisms"
Amino Acids in Physiology & Disease
- Neurochemistry and neurotransmitter amino acids (glutamate, GABA, glycine)
- Amino acid transport and membrane carriers
- Metabolic pathophysiology and inborn errors
- Amino acids in cancer metabolism and tumor microenvironment
- Cardiovascular and renal amino acid metabolism
- Gastrointestinal amino acid absorption and gut microbiome interactions
"Glutamine depletion impairs T-cell activation in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes"
Tier 2: Secondary Focus Areas
Nutritional & Food Sciences
- Dietary amino acid requirements and supplementation
- Protein quality assessment and amino acid scoring
- Food chemistry and amino acid stability
- Amino acids in sports nutrition and muscle protein synthesis
- Amino acid fortification and functional foods
Pharmacology & Therapeutics
- Amino acid-based drug design and prodrugs
- Therapeutic amino acids (N-acetylcysteine, penicillamine, tiopronin)
- Amino acid antagonists and receptor modulators
- Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of amino acid therapeutics
- Toxicology of amino acid analogues
Analytical Methods & Technology
- Mass spectrometry and chromatography for amino acid analysis
- Isotope dilution techniques and metabolic flux analysis
- Biosensors and real-time amino acid monitoring
- Computational modeling of amino acid metabolism
- Novel detection methods and assay development
Tier 3: Emerging & Interdisciplinary Areas
Microbiome & Amino Acid Metabolism
- Microbial amino acid production and degradation
- Host-microbiome amino acid exchange
- Amino acid metabolites as signaling molecules
- Probiotic amino acid metabolism
Note: Requires strong mechanistic focus on amino acid-specific pathways
Biotechnology Applications
- Microbial fermentation for amino acid production
- Enzyme engineering for amino acid synthesis
- Amino acid-based biomaterials
- Synthetic biology approaches to amino acid pathways
Note: Must demonstrate novel biochemical insights beyond industrial optimization
Aging & Longevity
- Amino acid restriction and lifespan extension
- Autophagy regulation by amino acids
- Age-related changes in amino acid metabolism
- Amino acids in cellular senescence
Note: Requires mechanistic data linking amino acids to aging pathways
Explicitly Out of Scope
General Clinical Medicine
Clinical case reports, epidemiological studies, or treatment protocols without specific amino acid mechanistic insights or metabolic analysis
Broad Nutritional Surveys
General dietary studies or population nutrition surveys that do not focus specifically on amino acid metabolism, requirements, or biochemical effects
Pure Computational Studies
Molecular dynamics simulations, docking studies, or bioinformatics analyses without experimental validation of amino acid-related predictions
General Protein Science
Structural biology, protein folding, or proteomics studies that do not specifically address amino acid chemistry, metabolism, or modifications
Industrial Process Optimization
Manufacturing processes, scale-up procedures, or industrial applications without novel biochemical or mechanistic contributions to amino acid science
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Expedited editorial assessment within 7-10 days
Regular editorial assessment within 14-21 days
Accepted only with exceptional mechanistic novelty
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
- CONSORT for randomized controlled trials
- STROBE for observational studies
- PRISMA for systematic reviews
- ARRIVE for animal research
- MIAME for microarray experiments
- MIQE for qPCR studies
Data & Ethics Requirements
- Raw data deposition in public repositories
- IRB/IACUC approval for human/animal studies
- Informed consent documentation
- Conflict of interest disclosure
- Funding source transparency
- Clinical trial registration (ClinicalTrials.gov)
Methodological Standards
- Statistical power analysis and sample size justification
- Appropriate controls and replication
- Validated analytical methods with QC data
- Isotope purity and enrichment documentation
- Antibody validation (Western blots, immunoassays)
- Reproducibility statements
Open Science Policies
- Preprint posting encouraged (bioRxiv, medRxiv)
- Open peer review option available
- Data sharing mandatory for omics studies
- Code availability for computational analyses
- Material transfer agreements for reagents
- ORCID required for all authors
Editorial Performance Metrics
Questions About Scope Fit?
Unsure if your research aligns with our scope? Contact our editorial team for a pre-submission inquiry. We provide feedback within 5 business days.
[email protected]
