Serine

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Serine \Ser"ine\ (s[e^]r"[=e]n; s[e^]r"[i^]n; also, less
     correctly, s[=e]r"[=e]n), n. [L. sericus silken.] (Chem.)
     one of the natural L-amino acids, obtainable as a white
     crystalline nitrogenous substance by the action of dilute
     sulphuric acid on silk gelatin. It is found in many proteins,
     and, having a free primary hydroxyl group on the side chain,


     is involved in the catalytic action at the active site of
     some enzymes, such as proteases. The IUPAC abbreviation for
     serine in protein sequences is Ser. Chemically it is
     2-amino-3-hydroxy-propanoic acid ({C3H7NO3}),
     {HO.CH2.CH(NH2).COOH}.
     [1913 Webster +PJC] Serio-comic

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  serine
       n : a sweetish crystalline amino acid involved in the synthesis
           by the body of cysteine