Three Dimensional Structure And Function Flashcards
What is a protein composed of?
A protein is composed of a chain of amino acids joined by peptide bonds in a specific sequence.
Example: Glycine-Alanine-Serine
What are the three-dimensional shapes of proteins known as?
The three-dimensional shapes of proteins are known as conformations.
What determines the conformation of a molecule like a protein?
The conformation of a molecule, like a protein, depends on the rotation of a bond or bonds.
What is the native conformation of a protein?
The native conformation of a protein is the single stable shape that most proteins fold into under physiological conditions.
How is a protein’s biological function determined?
A protein’s biological function is determined by its native three-dimensional conformation.
How are polypeptide chains in a protein encoded?
Each polypeptide chain in a protein is encoded by a single gene, as a general rule.
What can vary in size among genes and the polypeptides they encode?
The size of genes and the polypeptides they encode can vary by more than an order of magnitude.
What are some examples of the size variation in polypeptide chains?
Some polypeptides contain only 100 amino acid residues with a relative molecular mass of about 11,000, while very large polypeptide chains can contain more than 2000 amino acid residues.
