It is used in biochemical research as an NMDA receptor agonist in peptide synthesis for D-amino acid incorporation and in studies of bacterial cell wall metabolism or neurotransmission.

Its primary purpose is to selectively activate certain glutamate receptors or enzymes that distinguish D vs. L forms aiding research on synaptic plasticity microbial growth and chiral biochemistry.

D-Glutamic acid is the D-enantiomer of glutamic acid a non-proteinogenic amino acid with the molecular formula CHNO featuring a structure of HOOC-CH(NH)-(CH)-COOH where the chiral center at the -carbon has the R configuration.