Definition

Noun: * An essential amino acid. It is a colorless, crystalline substance found in many proteins and is necessary for human nutrition and health.

Usage

• As a subject: "Threonine is one of the twenty common amino acids."
• As an object: "The body cannot synthesize threonine, so it must be obtained from the diet."
• With modifiers: "L-threonine is the form used by the human body."

Examples

• "Foods like lentils, chicken, and cheese are good sources of threonine."
• "A deficiency in threonine can affect protein synthesis and immune function."
• "The chemical structure of threonine includes a hydroxyl group."

Advanced Usage

• In biochemistry: Threonine is often discussed in the context of protein biosynthesis, metabolic pathways, and nutritional science.
  • Example: "Threonine residues in a protein can be sites for phosphorylation, a key regulatory mechanism."
• In nutrition/industry: It is referred to as a dietary supplement or an additive in animal feed.
  • Example: "This feed formula is fortified with additional threonine to promote livestock growth."

Variants and Related Words

• L-threonine (n): The specific, biologically active form of the amino acid found in proteins and used by organisms.
• Threonyl (adj): A biochemical term relating to or derived from threonine, often used in compound names (e.g., threonyl-tRNA).

Synonyms

• Essential amino acid: (This is its category, not a perfect synonym. Threonine is a specific type of essential amino acid.)

Notes on Meaning

This word has a single, specific scientific meaning. It does not have different general meanings, idioms, or phrasal verbs. Its usage is almost exclusively technical, within the fields of biochemistry, molecular biology, and nutrition.

Noun

1. a colorless crystalline amino acid found in protein; occurs in the hydrolysates of certain proteins; an essential component of human nutrition