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Serine
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A metabolic pathway diagram for Escherichia coli showing how various nutrients-including sugars, fats, glycerol, and amino acids-are broken down into intermediates like pyruvate and acetyl-CoA, leading to the production of energy and other metabolites such as lactate, glutamate, and succinate. Arrows indicate the flow of metabolites between compounds, with key nutrient sources and products highlighted in colored boxes. Diagram showing how enzymes catalyze reactions: enzymes bind to substrates, form intermediate complexes, and release products. The lower section details specific mechanisms for acetylcholinesterase, sucrose phosphorylase, and maltose phosphorylase, with labeled steps and components.
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Serine

biochemistry
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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Top Questions

What is serine?

When was serine first isolated?

What is the role of serine in biological membranes?

Serine, an amino acid obtainable by hydrolysis of most common proteins, sometimes constituting 5 to 10 percent by weight of the total product. First isolated in 1865 from sericin, a silk protein, serine is one of several so-called nonessential amino acids for mammals; i.e., they can synthesize it from glucose and do not require dietary sources. The chemical structure of serine isserine, chemical compound

Serine and some of its derivatives (e.g., ethanolamine) are also important components of a class of lipids (phospholipids) found in biological membranes.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers.