Serine has been used as an inhibitor of seryl-tRNA synthetase. DL-Serine hydroxamate is used to induce metabolic synthesis of guanosine 3′-diphosphate 5′-diphosphate (ppGpp) in E. coli by amino acid starvation. It is also used to synchronize cell cycle in E. coli cultures by inhibition of tRNA charging.
