L15 Flashcards
what was believed about porteins before the 1940s
that we kept all of out proteins for our entire life’s but because of radioactive isotopes during the wars we learned that this was not the case
how do lysosomes break down proteins
they break down the peptide bonds between amino acids
they can also break down nucleic acids and sugars
describe the range in 1/2 life of proteins around the body
Protein stability (1/2 life) varies from a few minutes (e.g. cyclins which regulate mitosis) to a lifetime (proteins in the lens of the eye)
when proteins in the lense of our eye die you get cataracts .
what does protein 1/2 life refer to
Protein half-life refers to an experimental measurement: The time that half of the original population of protein remains. Or the time that half of the original population of protein has been degraded.
why are proteins degraded
theres 5
to regulate the function/activity of a protein and therefore the cell. E.g., ion
channels and transporters in epithelia to change ion transport pathways.
to allow replacement with new proteins.
to inactivate them e.g., ligands, cell cycle proteins.
to recycle amino acids of nonfunctional proteins e.g., misfolded or misassembled proteins in the ER.
as they are extracellular proteins from pathogens
why do different proteins have different 1/2 lifes
Lifetime of a protein depends on the function of a protein and the cellular
pathway it is involved in.
what degrades proteins
Degraded in the lysosome or the proteasome
what do lysosomes break down
extracellular or transmembrane proteins brought into the cell by endocytosis and
aged or defective organelles (also called autophagy)
what is autophagy
it is when a lysosome breaks down aged or defective organelles
what does the lysosome contain
Contain enzymes (acid hydrolases) that work best at acidic pH (not in cytosol). The enzymes break down proteins, sugars and nucleic acids.
what is the main enzyme that lysosomes contain
acid hydrolases
how does the lysosome maintain its low pH
Two transport proteins pump H+ and Cl- into the lysosome
what does autophagy mean
self eating
describe the process of autophagy
Uptake of random area of cytoplasm or defective organelles (phagophore)
Phagophore forms a complete ‘vesicle’ (autophagosome)
Autophagosome begins to fuse with lysosome
Autolysosome formed, degradation begins
Organelles and any uptake substances degraded and recycled
what is the difference between a phagophore, autophagosome and a autolysosome
phagophore = the beginning of engorgement and is the start of the formation of an autophagosome
an autophagosome is when the phagophore has completely engulfed the organelle in a continuous membrane
an autolysosome is when the autophagosome and lysosome come together and the contents of both mixes