Amino Acid

Serine 

Chemical Features:

• Non-aromatic hydroxyl
• Hydrophilic due to the hydrogen bonding capacity of the hydroxyl group
• Molecular formula: C3H7NO3
• Molecular Weight: 105 g
• Appearance: white crystals or powder
• Soluble in water
• Melting point: 246 degrees Celsius

pKa Values:

• 2.21 (carboxyl)
• 9.15 (amino)

Isoelectric Point: (pH at which this amino acid carries no net electrical charge)

• 5.68

Functional Group:

• Hydroxyl

NMR Info:

• Three main peaks: Peak at 4.65, Peak at 3.75, Peak at 3.65
• Pictures can be found at: https://sharepoint.cisat.jmu.edu/isat/klevicca/Web/Amino/Serine_2001/9.htm

IR Info:

A better picture of the IR spectroscopy can be found at: http://webbook.nist.gov/cgi/cbook.cgi?Spec=C56451&Index=0&Type=IR&Large=on

Reaction Info:

• The biosynthesis of serine starts with the oxidation of 3-phosphoglycerate to 3-phosphohydroxypyruvate and NADH Reductive amination of this ketone followed by hydrolysis gives serine. Serine hydroxymethyltransferase catalyzes the reversible, simultaneous conversion of L-serine to glycine. 
• Racemic serine can be prepared from methly acrylate via several steps. It is also naturally produced when UV light illuminates simple ices such as a combination of water, methanol, hydrogen cyanide, and ammonia, suggesting that it may be easily produced in cold regions of space. 

Small Polypeptide:

References:

http://www.biology.arizona.edu/biochemistry/problem_sets/aa/serine.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serine

http://www.chemie.fu-berlin.de/chemistry/bio/aminoacid/serin_en.html

https://sharepoint.cisat.jmu.edu/isat/klevicca/Web/Amino/Serine_2001/9.htm

http://webbook.nist.gov/cgi/cbook.cgi?Spec=C56451&Index=0&Type=IR&Large=on