L14 - Protein Structure & Function Flashcards
Cells and protein
Cells jam packed with all kinds of protein (and other things)
- human cell ~1-3 billion
Protein function
Drive (almost) everything in the cell - DNA replication - Cell division - Synthesis of the cell membrane - Metabolism - Transport of molecules - Generating energy - Structure And much more…
Roles of proteins
- digestive enzyme/catalytic
- transport
- structural
- hormone signalling
- immunological
- contractile
- storage
- toxins: used by pathogens
- regulatory: physiological processes
Peptides
Short (approx. < 50 aa) polypeptides
___peptide
Very short peptides
- dipeptide, tripeptide, tetrapeptide
Residue
Individual amino acid
Protein composition
A polypeptide: chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds
Amino acid forms
- unionised form
- ionised form (protonated to NH3+ and deprotonated to COO-): more prevalent as present at physiological/normal pH (~7.4)
Glycine
Simplest amino acid
Proline
Commonly seen at sharp turns of protein structure
Amino acids with S
Cysteine and methionine
Peptide (amide) bond formation
Condensation/dehydration synthesis reaction (release of H2O)
Peptide bond rotation
- rotation at single bonds between alpha carbon and its neighbouring atoms
- no rotation at peptide bonds due to resonance (O-C N-H of bonds are essentially co-planar)
Peptide bond configuration
- typically in trans orientation with alternating side chains
- very rarely in cis as less stable due to steric repulsion of side chains
Protein structure
- complex structure to facilitate varied functions as shape critical to its function
- shape driven by chemical properties and sequences of amino acids in protein
Enzymes
- Long ridged interconnecting structural proteins
- Active site
- Binding causes conformational change
- provide function or strengthen interaction
- lock & key vs induce fit
Primary structure
- unique sequence of amino acids of protein
Primary structure driven by
DNA sequence of gene coding protein
= structure can be deduced from known DNA sequence
Secondary structure
Localised folding of polypeptide
Secondary structure driven by
Hydrogen bonding interactions within polypeptide backbone
Alpha helices
- right handed helix
- normally each turn is 3.6aa with pitch of 5.4 (0.54nm)
- H-bond between N-H and C=O 3 or 4 residues earlier
- tightly packed; almost no free space within
- side chains protrude out from helix
Amino acids in alpha helix
Ethiosine, alanine, leucine, glutamine, lysine
NOT proline, glycine
Beta pleated sheets
H-bond between N-H on one strand and C=O on another strand
Type of beta pleated sheet structures
Parallel, anti parallel
- alternating R groups
Amino acids in beta pleated sheets
- large aromatic residues: tryrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan
- beta-branche amino acids: threonine, valine, isoleucine
Secondary structure prediction
Different amino acids have propensity to favour structures
= can fairly accurately predict regions from sequence
Tertiary structure
3D shape of protein
Tertiary structure driven by
Chemistry of side chains and interactions between them
Tertiary noncovalent interactions
- ionic bonds
- hydrophobic interactions
- hydrophilic interactions
- dipole-dipole interactions
- Van der Waals forces
Tertiary covalent bonds
Disulphide bond
- formed by cystines
- thiol oxidised, H removed, covalent linkage formed between two sulphur atoms