Lecture 3 - Introduction to Proteins Flashcards
How are proteins described?
Workhorses of the cell. Giant molecules are described as nanostructures or tiny molecular machines.
What fundamental issues are faced by a cell to affect its survival?
How does it; sense and respond to its environment, make and break molecules, obtain the energy it needs, maintain and replicate itself.
What do proteins do to ‘live’?
Proteins carry out or catalyse almost all of the processes required and acquire needed energy to fuel these processes.
Proteins form physical makeup including:
Muscle, ligaments, tendons, hair and nails.
What do we know now about proteins?
The complete atomic structure even down to the position of all of their atoms.
What do proteins form?
Non-branching polymers that form macromolecules about 50-100 A in size.
What is a protein composed of?
A specific sequence of amino acids joined together by chemical bonds called peptide bonds.
What are some common chemicals?
Sodium Chloride - table salt, Sucrose - table sugar, Haemoglobin - found in RBCs.
Why study the structure of proteins?
Is the key to learning its function so we can understand the biochemistry of life.
How is atomic structure determination of proteins routinely done now?
Protein crystallography, Electron cryo-microscopy, NMR spectroscopy
What are the different ways of depicting chemical structure?
Skeletal, Ball and Stick, Space-filling
What hormone is responsible for cell signalling?
Insulin - Generated and bind to insulin receptor to signal cells to take up glucose
What enzyme helps with digestion?
Trypsin breaks down proteins during digestion
Enzymes that breakdown proteins are called:
Proteases
What is essential for HIV replication?
Protease made from HIV
