Used primarily in research settings as an amino acid analog, it helps in studying enzyme mechanisms and metabolic pathways, particularly in experiments involving protein synthesis and inhibition. It can act as a non-natural amino acid substrate in enzymatic reactions, making it valuable for probing the specificity of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Also utilized in the development of pharmaceutical intermediates where modified amino acids are required for drug design, especially in creating peptides with enhanced stability or specific biological activity. Its structural similarity to natural amino acids allows it to interfere with or modulate biological processes, useful in biochemical assays and the investigation of metabolic diseases.