threonine

 
Pronunciation: /ˈθriːəniːn/

noun

[mass noun] Biochemistry
  • a hydrophilic amino acid which is a constituent of most proteins. It is an essential nutrient in the diet of vertebrates.
    • Chemical formula: CH3CH(OH)CH(NH2)COOH

Origin:

1930s: from threose (the name of a tetrose sugar) + -ine4