(thing) by jafuser Wed Sep 27 2000 at 2:47:17
Alanine is a simple but very often-used amino acid. It is used by your body for the metabolism of tryptophan and the vitamin pyridoxine. Nine percent of the composition of most proteins is alanine.

structural formula of alanine: 

   H             O
    \           //        alanine
H -- C -- C -- C          (C3H7NO2)
    /    / \    \
   H    N   H    O -- H
       / \
      H   H

I like it!