Used as a building block in peptide synthesis, particularly in research settings to study protein structure and function. It serves as an analog of natural amino acids, helping scientists probe the effects of subtle structural changes in peptides and enzymes. Commonly applied in the development of pharmaceuticals and bioactive compounds where modified amino acids can enhance stability, activity, or specificity. Also utilized in microbiology as a component of specialized growth media to investigate amino acid metabolism in bacteria and other microorganisms.