serine
serine — noun
1. a type of nonessential amino acid that forms a building block inside larger prot
a type of nonessential amino acid that forms a building block inside larger protein molecules — for example, in the structure of silk, where serine was first identified as a repeating residue.
Eitan's lab tests showed that swapping one serine residue stops the enzyme from folding correctly.
collocation: serine residue — for an amino acid embedded in a protein
The silk protein contains many serine molecules linked together in a chain.
Dr. Jin discovered a mutation that replaces serine with alanine in the protein.
Serine at position 45 forms hydrogen bonds that hold the active site in its correct shape.
Ada watched the structure bend when serine replaced another amino acid in the chain.
- amino acid residue
a more general term; every serine in a protein is an amino acid residue
- building block
informal way to refer to the role of serine in protein construction
用法筆記
Common in biochemistry and molecular biology when describing where an amino acid appears within a folded protein. Distinguished from sense 2, which focuses on serine's metabolic role as a precursor of glycine.
常見錯誤
2. an amino acid the human body can produce on its own, which it then turns into ot
an amino acid the human body can produce on its own, which it then turns into other substances such as glycine — a compound required for creating DNA and forming bile.
Noor's body uses serine to create glycine for healthy liver function.
uses [X] to create [Y] — describing a precursor-to-product relationship
A single enzyme in the liver turns serine into glycine for building new DNA.
Felipe learned that serine is a key source of glycine for the brain cells.
Without enough serine, liver cells cannot make the glycine needed for digesting fats.
Tanvi's lab studies how serine feeds into the glycine production pathway.
- metabolic precursor
emphasises that serine feeds into a biochemical pathway
- glycine source
specifically names what serine is converted into
用法筆記
Common in physiology and metabolic biochemistry when discussing how the body obtains glycine. Distinguished from sense 1, which treats serine as a static component of protein structures.