Protein Structure Flashcards
What happens when a protein denatures?
They lose their function
What is a proteins net charge determined by?
The R group
How can we separate proteins? (3)
Charge (electrophoresis); size (gel filtration); solubility (pI precipitation)
What is electrophoresis?
Electrophoresis separates a mixture of proteins in a gel matrix by applying a voltage.
What is gel filtration?
Gel filtration passes proteins through a resin, larger proteins are excluded faster.
What is isoelectric point precipitation (pI precipitation)?
Separates proteins based on their solubility in water.
What type of bond is a disulphide bond?
Covalent
What is the primary protein structure?
Amino acid sequence.
What is the secondary protein structure?
Folding into a-helix, b-pleated sheets or a random coil
What is the tertiary protein structure?
3D folding of a single polypeptide chain.
What is the quaternary protein structure?
The association of many polypeptides to form a multimeric protein.
What are two characteristics of b-pleated sheets?
They’re strong but don’t stretch.
What is a prion?
An incorrectly folded protein in the brain.
