Methionine

Methionine is an amino acid and belongs to the class which has neutral R-groups. It is hydrophobic.

"As the substrate for other amino acids such as cysteine and taurine, versatile compounds such as SAM-e, and the important antioxidant glutathione, methionine plays a critical role in the metabolism and health of many species, including humans."

Methionine is also an important part of angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels.

"In nuclear genes of eukaryotes and in Archaea, methionine is coded for by the start codon, meaning it indicates the start of the coding region and is the first amino acid produced in a nascent polypeptide during mRNA translation."

Together with cysteine, methionine is one of two sulfur-containing proteinogenic amino acids.

* Amino acids which are essential amino acids which cannot be made by the human body and, therefore, must be obtained in the diet.