Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Biosynthesis of Proteins
Protein synthesis is the creation of proteins. In biological systems, it is carried out inside the cell. In prokaryotes, it occurs in the cytoplasm. In eukaryotes, it initially occurs in the nucleus to create a transcript (mRNA) of the coding region of the DNA. The transcript leaves the nucleus and reaches the ribosomes for translation into a protein molecule with a specific sequence…
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Structure of Protein
Proteins are composed of polymers of amino acid residues. The amino acids are joined together by peptide bonds. Each protein is a linear polymer built from different amino acids. The type and the sequence of amino acids in a protein are specified by the DNA in the cell that produces them. The genetic code typically specifies 20 standard amino acids. However, some organisms, such as archaea, have…
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History
The word protein is derived from the Greek proteios, meaning “of the first rank”. The term was coined in 1838 by the Swedish scientist Jöns Berzelius, to reflect the importance of this group of molecules. A stretch of DNA called a gene carries the information required to build a protein.
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Types of Protein
Proteins are biopolymeric structures composed of amino acids, of which there are 20 common ones found in biological chemistry, participating in nearly all cellular activities. Proteins are synthesised in the cytoplasm in a process termed translation. The typical protein is constructed from a single set of amino acids.
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Definition
A molecule made up of amino acids. Proteins are needed for the body to function properly. They are the basis of body structures, such as skin and hair, and of other substances such as enzymes, cytokines, and antibodies.
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Introduction
Proteins are large, complex molecules that play many critical roles in the body. They do most of the work in cells and are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs.
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Nucleic acid metabolism
DNA metabolism Replication, repair, and recombination—the three main processes of DNA metabolism—are carried out by specialized machinery within the cell. DNA must be replicated accurately in order to ensure the integrity of the genetic code. Errors that creep in during replication or because of damage after replication must be repaired. Finally, recombination between genomes is an important mechanism to provide…
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Ribonucleic Acids
RNA is a single-stranded nucleic acid polymer of the four nucleotides A, C, G, and U joined through a backbone of alternating phosphate and ribose sugar residues. It is the first intermediate in converting the information from DNA into proteins essential for the working of a cell. Some RNAs also serve direct roles in cellular metabolism. RNA is made by copying the base sequence…
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Supercoiling
Circular DNA molecules such as those found in plasmids or bacterial chromosomes can adopt many different topologies. One is active supercoiling, which involves the cleavage of one DNA strand, its winding one or more turns around the complementary strand, and then the resealing of the molecule. Each complete rotation leads to the introduction of one supercoiled turn…
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Chemical modification
After a DNA molecule has been assembled, it may be chemically modified—sometimes deliberately by special enzymes called DNA methyltransferases and sometimes accidentally by oxidation, ionizing radiation, or the action of chemical carcinogens. DNA can also be cleaved and degraded by enzymes called nucleases.
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