Difference Between L-serine and Phosphatidylserine

The key difference between L-serine and phosphatidylserine is that L-serine is a nonessential amino acid which is essential for the synthesis of phosphatidylserine while phosphatidylserine is a phospholipid and a component of the cell membrane.

L-serine and phosphatidylserine are two important chemical substances found in our body. L-serine is a nonessential amino acid which is produced in our body and a naturally occurring dietary amino acid. Phosphatidylserine, on the other hand, is a phospholipid, which is a main component in biological membranes. L-serine is essential for the synthesis of phosphatidylserine.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is L-serine 
3. What is Phosphatidylserine
4. Similarities Between L-serine and Phosphatidylserine
5. Side by Side Comparison – L-serine vs Phosphatidylserine in Tabular Form
6. Summary

What is L-serine?

L-serine is a nonessential, naturally occurring dietary amino acid. The chemical formula of L-serine is C₃H₇NO₃ and its molecular mass is 105.09 g/mol. L-serine is essential for the biosynthesis of proteins, purines, pyrimidines, other amino acids such as glycine and L-cysteine and cell membrane lipids such as phospholipids and sphingolipids. Moreover, L-serine is important for cell proliferation and intracellular metabolism. The intake of L-serine before going to bed improves sleep quality. In addition, L-serine converts into d-serine, which is a facultative neurotransmitter and L-serine also works as a neurotrophic factor in the central nervous system.

Our body synthesizes L-serine endogenously from two main ways. One way is from glycine in the reverse reactions catalyzed by serine hydroxymethyltransferase. The second way is from the glycolytic intermediate 3-phosphoglycerate in three enzymatic steps. In addition, L-serine is abundant in soy products, some edible seaweeds, sweet potatoes, eggs and meat.

What is Phosphatidylserine?

Phosphatidylserine is an endogenous phospholipid and dietary nutrient. In fact, it is a glycerophospholipid (glycerol-based phospholipid), which is a main component of biological membranes. Structurally, phosphatidylserine has two fatty acid chains attached to two carbons of glycerol and a serine attached to third carbon of the glycerol. Therefore, L-serine is an essential amino acid in the synthesis of phosphatidylserine. The chemical formula of phosphatidylserine is C₁₃H₂₄NO₁₀P while its molecular mass is 385.304 g/mol.

Functionally, phosphatidylserine plays a major role in cell signalling. Phosphatidylserine covers and protects the brain cells and helps in transmitting messages between nerves. Moreover, it helps to keep your mind and memory sharp, improve mood and promote healthy sleep. Most importantly, phosphatidylserine plays a key role in blood coagulation, working as a pro-coagulant surface.

Our body produces all phosphatidylserine it needs. Phosphatidylserine coming from plants differs structurally from phosphatidylserine coming from animals due to the difference in the fatty acid chain compositions. Soy and cabbage are two key plant sources of phosphatidylserine. Meat and fish are two animal sources of phosphatidylserine.

What are the Similarities Between L-serine and Phosphatidylserine?

• L-serine is an amino acid essential for the synthesis of phosphatidylserine.
• Both L-serine and phosphatidylserine are naturally occurring in soy products, meat, etc.
• Moreover, our body produces both L-serine and phosphatidylserine.

What is the Difference Between L-serine and Phosphatidylserine?

L-serine is a nonessential, naturally occurring dietary amino acid which is essential for the biosynthesis of proteins, purines, pyrimidines, other amino acids and lipids. On the other hand, phosphatidylserine is an endogenous phospholipid and dietary nutrient, which is a main component of biological membranes. So, this is the key difference between L-serine and phosphatidylserine. Furthermore, the chemical formula of L-serine is C₃H₇NO₃ while the chemical formula of phosphatidylserine is C₁₃H₂₄NO₁₀P.

Moreover, the molecular mass of L-serine is 105.09 g/mol while the molecular mass of phosphatidylserine is 385.304 g/mol. L-serine is essential for the biosynthesis of proteins, nucleotides, neurotransmitters, and lipids. It is also important for cell proliferation and intracellular metabolism and improves sleep quality. In contrast, phosphatidylserine plays a major role in cell signalling and it covers and protects brain cells and helps in transmitting messages between nerves. Besides, it plays a key role in blood coagulation working as a pro-coagulant surface. Therefore, this is the functional difference between L-serine and phosphatidylserine.

Summary – L-serine vs Phosphatidylserine

L-serine is a nonessential amino acid that is essential for the synthesis of proteins, nucleotides, neurotransmitters, and lipids. Moreover, it is important for brain development and metabolism. On the other hand, phosphatidylserine is a phospholipid which is an essential component in the cell. Most importantly, L-serine is essential for the synthesis of phosphatidylserine. Both compounds are produced in our body and they are dietary nutrients. This is the summary of the difference between L-serine and phosphatidylserine.

Reference:

1. “Phosphatidylserine.” Winchester Hospital, Available here.
2. “L-serine.” American Chemical Society, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “L-serine-skeletal” By Benjah-bmm27 assumed  – No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims). (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Phosphatidylserine” By Zirgouflex – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia