Protein is an essential nutrient for the body. Proteins also serve as enzymes and hormones. In fact, most of your body’s tissues and cells are made up of various kinds of protein molecules. Just
Contrary to what you may think about them, proteins are not permanent structures but structures that are highly dynamic and on the constant move. They do not exist for a long period of time; rather their structure depends on their environment and the cause that created them in the first place.
Proteins are, in general, large molecules.
Proteins are, in general, large molecules. The smallest proteins are comprised of only a few hundred amino acids, while the largest have several thousand. The structure of a protein is dictated by its sequence of amino acids, which is determined by the sequence of nucleotides in the gene encoding that protein.
It is the sequence of amino acids that makes proteins unique, and it is this uniqueness that makes proteins so essential to life. Proteins are involved in almost every biological process, from transporting oxygen through the blood to creating structures as small as a single cell.
Proteins are, in general, large molecules. Most proteins contain hundreds or thousands of atoms, and the smallest known proteins contain about 50 atoms.
Proteins are very diverse in their shapes; those that have been studied with x-ray crystallography or NMR have shown a wide variety of three-dimensional structures that cannot be explained by a single conformation.
Proteins are built from amino acids.
Proteins are built from amino acids. The sequence of the amino acids is determined by a person’s DNA, and it’s this sequence that determines the protein’s final shape.
For example, in an insulin molecule, there are two chains of amino acids. One chain folds over the other, forming a pocket. When insulin is released into the blood stream, glucose molecules fit snugly into that pocket.
Proteins are built from amino acids. The sequence of the amino acids is determined by a person’s DNA, and it’s this sequence that determines the protein’s final shape.
For example, in an insulin molecule, there are two chains of amino acids. One chain folds over the other, forming a pocket. When insulin is released into the blood stream, glucose molecules fit snugly into that pocket.
Enzymes are large proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions.
Enzymes are large proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions. While the vast majority of enzymes are composed exclusively of protein, there are some exceptions.
In many cases, a complex of one or more protein subunits is called an enzyme, even if the complex has additional non-protein parts. Some ribozymes and ribosomes also contain metal ions or metal-binding sites as part of their structure. These enzymes are metal-activated enzymes; for example, some metalloenzymes activate by binding zinc in the active site.
The binding of metal ions can alter the reactivity of these metal-activated enzymes because the metal ion serves as a Lewis acid which facilitates electron transfer reactions.
Carboxypeptidase A is an example of a metalloenzyme that contains two zinc ions within its active site. One zinc ion coordinates with six histidine residues to stabilize the structure of the complex, while the other zinc ion is coordinated with three histidine residues and one aspartic acid residue to facilitate catalysis.
Enzymes are large proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions. They can be described as biological catalysts. What they do is they accelerate the rate of chemical reactions without being consumed themselves in the process.
Enzymes have three-dimensional shapes that allow them to bind to specific substrates to perform their functions in particular reactions. The shape of an enzyme is determined by the sequence of amino acids that make up its polypeptide chain.
Because the genetic code is redundant, the same protein can be made by different DNA sequences.
When you study the workings of DNA, you learn that some sequences of DNA are responsible for coding for proteins. A gene is a specific sequence of nucleotides that codes for a particular protein.
When a cell is ready to replicate, it unwinds the double helix and uses the DNA as a template to create a new strand of DNA. The sequence of nitrogenous bases on either side of the sugar-phosphate backbone determines which amino acids are added to the growing chain of amino acids that make up the protein.
However, because the genetic code is redundant, the same protein can be made by different DNA sequences—this is called degeneracy.
Proteins are made of amino acids in a specific order. The sequence of amino acids determines the shape and function of the protein. The genetic code is the relationship between DNA sequences and amino acid sequences.
The code is redundant because most amino acids are encoded by more than one codon, but each codon codes for only one amino acid. Therefore, different DNA sequences can code for the same protein.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are numerous characteristics that classify these three famous proteins. Obviously, we didn’t touch on every possible aspect of their chemical makeup, but you should all be equipped with the information necessary to understand what makes each of these proteins unique.
