What's a Protein

PrA protein is best defined as a polymers of amino acid. They are large units of a biomolecules which arose as a result of the combinations or joining or aggregation of a amino acids monomers joined together by a (poly)peptide bonds and some other necessary bonds in them .

Amino acids: These are the smallest subunit biomolecules which makes up a protein. They are composed of: 1. The alpha Carbon 2. Amino group 3. Hydrogen atom 4. A functional group/side chain.

Each amino acids has the N and C terminus, the N terminal as the amino group side NH3 and the C terminal as the Carbonyl side COOH, and a changing side chain. The side chain of each amino acids distinguished it from other as which it determine it properties, functions and reaction. Eg glycine having H as it functional group, alanine having CH3 has it functional group etc.

There are 20 naturally known amino acids, tho there are more like those that are synthetically made and engineered eg by David baker etc.

Alanine, Glycine, Tryptophan, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Methionine, Cysteine, Serine, Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine, Aspartic , Asparagine, Glutamic, Glutamine, Histidine, Arginine, Lysine, Proline, and Threonine.

Each of this amino acids has the same N and C terminus and same Hydrogen atom but are distinguished from one another with their different side chain.

Characteristics of an amino acids:

1. They have N and C terminus with an hydrogen atom and a side chain.

2. They can be polar, non polar, charged or uncharged.

3. The side chain of an amino acids determined it structure, properties and functions.

4. They bind together with other amino acids to form a peptide bond with a release of water, - condensation reaction.

The primary structure of a protein is refer to as the traditional linear sequence of two or more amino acids joined together by a peptide bond. This are referred to as peptide, and If more than 40 amino acids in a linear sequence, then they are referred to as polypeptide. Eg Ala—Gly—Phe—Try—His.

A secondary structure of a protein is referred to as the aggregation of several linear sequences of a amino acids from different location together to form a local fold within themselves. Eg Ala—Gly—Cys—Phe + Try—His—Cys—Leu. Here in this example, in amino acids in each sequences will react with the other sequences and form a local fold into alpha helices and beta sheets, with forces like hydrogen bond with peptide bond.

The tertiary structure of a protein is when different secondary structure of different amino amino acids comes together to form a more a advanced folding and interact more with one another to form a 3D dimensional folding. The structure and function and properties of a protein is known and determined here. Examples of forces in them are disulfide bonds, vanderWalls’s force.

Quantenary structure is the type of structure in which complex 3D tertiary structures from different sources come together to form a bigger structure for an more evolving functions.

Read up next on “How are the Structures Formed"