methionine
UK[mɛˈθaɪəniːn]US[mɛˈθaɪəniːn]
n
A sulphur-containing amino acid that is essential in the diet of vertebrates and is a constituent of many proteins.
Morpheme Breakdown
methyl
amine
methyl
amine
Etymology
The name 'methionine' is a modern scientific coinage, constructed from the chemical components of the molecule. It combines 'methyl', referring to the methyl group (CH₃-) attached to its side chain, with the suffix '-amine', indicating its classification as an amino acid. The term was formed in the early 20th century as biochemistry advanced, specifically to name this sulfur-containing, essential amino acid. Its construction follows the logical pattern of organic chemistry nomenclature, where parts of a compound's structure are literally described and concatenated to form a unique identifier.
Analysis
Structure: methyl + amine
- methyl: From German Methyl, from Greek méthy (wine) + hýlē (wood, substance). In chemistry, it denotes a hydrocarbon radical (CH₃-).
- amine: From ammonia + the chemical suffix -ine. It denotes a compound derived from ammonia by replacement of one or more hydrogen atoms by hydrocarbon groups.
Examples
Methionine is an essential amino acid that must be obtained from food.
The synthesis of certain proteins can be limited by methionine availability.
Nutritional supplements sometimes contain methionine for its role in metabolism.