Verified Document

What Do Proteins Do  Essay

Protein Structure The author of this report is asked to pick a macromolecule. The author of this report has chosen proteins. Indeed, they are one of the molecules that is "essential for life." Two or more functions of the molecule will be listed. The importance of the molecule in human life will be described. There will be a description of the makeup of the macromolecule. Finally, at least two scholarly sources will be utilized. While macromolecules are overlooked by a lot of people, they are very important and are necessary for life.

Questions Answered

Proteins are polymers of amino acids. Each amino acid has a basic and fundamental structure. The one thing that makes them differ is the "side chain, which is known as the R. Group. The carbon atom to which the overall amino group, the carboxyl group, and side chain (R-Group) are attached is the alpha carbon. Peptide bonds link amino acid residues within each different protein. The sequence of covalently linked amino acids is referred to as the "primary structure" of a protein. The reaction by which two different amino acids are joined is via a peptide bond. The details on the mechanism of peptide bond formation are known as protein synthesis...

It is a linear polymer of many amino acids. All of those amino acids are linked via peptide bonds. The peptide linkages, along with the carbon atoms to which the R-Groups are attached, form the protein backbone of the structure. There is also what is known as the protein secondary structure. These are segments of polypeptides that often fold locally into stable structures that include helixes and pleated sheets. An a-helix is a helix where the polypeptide backbone follows a helical path. There are 3.6 amino acid residues per turn of the helix. There are other helical structures besides the a-helix but the latter is the most common. The a-helix bonds are stabilized by hydrogen bonds between the backbone amino and carbonyl groups (RPI, 2015).
There are several major types of proteins and the tasks they do. For example, antibodies are proteins that bind to specific foreign particles such as viruses and bacteria. This helps them protect the body. Enzymes carry out almost all of the thousands of chemical reactions that take place in cells. They also assist with the formation of new molecules by reading the genetic information…

Sources used in this document:
References

NIH. (2015). What are proteins and what do they do. Genetics Home Reference.

Retrieved 17 May 2015, from http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/howgeneswork/protein

RPI. (2015). Review: Protein Structure. RPI.edu. Retrieved 17 May 2015, from https://www.rpi.edu/dept/bcbp/molbiochem/MBWeb/mb1/part2/protein.htm
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Protein the Benefits and Risks of the
Words: 845 Length: 3 Document Type: Research Paper

Protein The Benefits and Risks of the High-Protein Diet Finding a healthy diet, achieving nutritional balancing an attaining an ideal body weight may be lifelong challenges. Myriad competing theories and philosophies drive an almost infinite range of possibilities for comporting one's consumption of calories. Among them, one that has gained increasingly popularity and scientific evaluation is the high protein diet. This nutritional strategy is based on the premise that the body is

Proteins Play a Special Role
Words: 718 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

A stressful situation may be considered a recovery from an injury, pregnancy, psychological stress that causes the body to function in a critical estate and when the age of the person does not let the body produce enough protein. In other a high level of protein will inevitable cause medical complications. In spite of having a very positive effect o the body's functioning through combining animal and plant proteins the

Protein the Lakeview Pantry Is
Words: 690 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

Based on the list of protein sources other than meats, the pantry is doing a fairly good job of providing an adequate amount of protein to the recipients. The recipients receiving food distributions on a weekly basis will probably fare better than the recipients of the Home Delivery Service and this is because deliveries are made only once a month. This means that these people will have to learn how

Protein Intake in High School
Words: 813 Length: 2 Document Type: Literature Review

85 grams per 1 kilogram of protein intake is recommended (Schilling 2008). Protein intake in this amount is not normally a problem for high school athletes, however female athletes tend to have a harder time making decisions for proper protein nutrition due to the perception that the additional calories will affect their body image (Elliott et al. 2008). A proper balance of protein and carbohydrates is essential to performing at peak

Do Proteins Help the Body As Related to Sports Exercise and Nutrition ...
Words: 3010 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

Proteins are often called the building blocks of life. In fact, the very word "protein" implies their importance in the body: it is a Greek word meaning "first place." Approximately fifty percent of the dry weight in animal cells is comprised of protein (Campbell 71). They play a roll in almost everything the body does and "are used for support, storage, transport of other substances, signaling from one part of

Structure of Protein
Words: 1057 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Structural Organization of Proteins There are different protein structures, and these correspond directly to the kinds of functions that the proteins address. While many people feel that protein is all the same, this is not the truth. With a number of different kinds of proteins and a wide array of uses for them, it stands to reason that the structural organization of proteins will be different based on each one of

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now