The Protein Synthesis Process - Essay Example

Questions a. Insulin is a protein hormone that is made p of protein chains linked in a disulfide bond and contains 51 amino acids. It is vital in the regulation of amino acids, lipids and carbohydrates and carbohydrates absorption. It hence increases the protein synthesis as well as DNA replication process. DNA, on the other hand is responsible for storing of genetic information during the insulin coding process. This can be distinguished in immunochemical cross-reactivity and HPLC anti-insulin sera tests to substantiate their identity. b. mRNA is a messenger RNA synthesized in the nucleus as a DNA complementary strand. Its major function is to carry the genetic information to the cytoplasm for the protein synthesis process. However, DNA is present in the nucleus mainly to store the genetic information. DNA is short lived and double stranded while mRND is single stranded and has a short lifespan. A DNA chemical test can be carried out to observe their performance in genetic synthesis. c. Starch and cellulose are polymers having very similar characteristics. They have similar glucose based repeat units and are made up of the same monomer. However, all the repeated units in starch are oriented in one direction while in cellulose; every successive unit of glucose is rotated 180 degrees of around the axis of the backbone chain of the polymer. In experiments, starch is soluble in warm water while cellulose is tough and can only be broken down into simpler units when treated with acids at high temperatures. Starch is therefore used as a major source of energy in human food while cellulose is used in making fibre materials (Markussen et al., 2002). d. Amylose is a D-glucose unit polysaccharide that forms 20-30% of the total starch structure while Amylopectin forms the remaining percentage of the cell starch structure. In experiments, the amylase components do not dissolve in water while Amylopectin dissolves in water. Structurally, Amylose can appear in a pair of distinct helical forms or in a distorted amorphous confirmation. Amylopectin , however, has a non-random branching determined by enzymes and glucose residues (Markussen et al., 2002). e. Myoglobin is a monomer that binds oxygen more tightly than hemoglobin as reflected when oxygen is in the bloodstream is observed to move from hemoglobin to myoglobin. On the other hand, hemoglobin is a tetramer made up of a pair of related subunits of alpha and beta. Their functional difference can be observed in an oxygen uptake experiment under similar conditions for oxygen affinity. f. Phospholipids consist of the phosphate group combined by phosphorylation while triglycerol are Glycosylated lipids that are carbohydrate molecules added through glycosylation. They form essential cell membrane components that play a role in maintenance of cell structures. Sphingolipids are bioactive substances that regulate the growth of cells, apoptosis, diverse cell functions and differentiation g. Chitin is a derivative of glucose and a long chain polymer polymer of an N-acetyglucosamine. It forms the major cell wall component of arthropod exoskeletons, fungi, internal shells and beaks of cephalopods etc. Bacterial cell polysaccharide, however, forms the external structure of the bacterial cell. It is made up of starch and Answers to Question 2 a. Enzymes are protein substances that play a role in the chemical reactions of the body. They are used for various chemical reactions i.e. Food digestion, brain stimulation, cellular energy provision, repair of organs, cells and tissues. Examples include the enzyme amylase that converts starch to glucose and protease that converts proteins to peptides. b. Structural proteins are fibrous components that form the protective cover to all vertebrates. Common examples include keratins that form the skin, claws, nails, hooves, beaks, feathers, wool among others that form the external structure of most vertebrates. Myosin and actin are structural proteins of the muscle tissues. Collagens found in hides and tendons form connective ligaments giving connective support to the tissues. c. Motility proteins are responsible for initiation transfer of chemical processes in the body. IMMT is a mitochondrion inner membrane motility protein that initiates the interaction processes between the muscles and the cytoskeleton components. Motor protein helps in propelling energy in the hydrolysis process of adenosine tryphosphate. They are majorly found in the mitochondrion cells. d. Regulatory proteins regulate chemical processes in the body cells. Examples include; Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) as a transport protein regulates the transfer of cholesterol within the mitochondria in the steroid hormone production process. Troponin-C regulates the uptake and use of calcium in the process of shell and born formation. StAR is found in the mitochondrion cells (Markussen et al., 2002). e. Transport proteins are those that facilitate movement processes such as diffusion, active transport among other cellular processes. The proteins thus bind to the active sites of larger molecules guiding them into the cell. The particles are usually moved against the concentration gradient. As they span the membrane, they necessitate the particles movement across the membrane. f. Hormonal proteins are protein based hormones responsible for hormone production processes in various organs of the body. These chemical processes include; the activation of G protein, GTP binding processes, adenylate cyclase activation, ATP conversion to cAMP. They can be found in the pancreas, kidney, liver etc. g. Receptor proteins are intracellular proteins that affect the activities of the cell by either speeding up the chemical reactions or inducing cellular transitions. For example, membrane receptors are synthesized by ribosomes on the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Photoreceptors are neurons found in the light sensitive parts of the eye and are responsible for light sensitivity. h. Defensive proteins are the major components of the immune system of the body. They bind to foreign substances entering the body. An example is the antibodies that bind to the other viral and bacterial antigens that invade the body. They also deal with the disease causing organisms that can affect the body cells. i. Digestive protein helps in the breakdown of food substances into smaller absorbable particles. This allows the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream for the use in the body functions. They are found in the organs along the alimentary canal such as the stomach, small and large intestines etc. examples are digestive enzymes that help in the digestion of food substances in the digestive organs. j. Storage proteins form the major source of amino acid for the growth of new cells. They are the reserves for metal ions as well as amino acids which are utilized or mobilized for growth and maintenance of new cells. They are mostly found in germinating plant seeds, egg whites and even milk. An example is ferritin that stores iron in the liver and kidney cells. Question 3 a) Several bands of the gel were found to be radioactive because after the proteins treatment, the proteins became linear, unfolded, and uniformly coated detergent molecules that were negatively charged. b) The incubation of the GO followed by reduction interfered with the charges of the proteins. Several bands of the gel were found to be radioactive because after the proteins treatment, the proteins became linear, unfolded, and uniformly coated detergent molecules that were positively charged. c) For plasma membrane proteins that contain carbohydrates, the method will enable the fragmentation of the protein molecules based on their nucleotide sequence. d) None of the proteins of the erythrocyte plasma membrane that are devoid of the carbohydrate is labeled by LP/125I because the erythrocyte components hemoglobin is a high molecule protein with high affinity for oxygen. e) If the erythrocytes are ruptured before the labeling procedure, the LP procedure labels virtually all of the major membrane proteins because molecular labels have a covalent attachment to the proteins facilitating purification or detection of the labeled protein as well as their binding partners Question 4 Membrane 1 will correspond to -36, membrane 2 to 41 and membrane 3 to 23 Degrees Celcius. This is because membranes 2 and 3 have extra bond that will require more temperature to heat and break up the carbon bonds in their fatty acids. The carbon bonds to break and be released from the saturated fatty acids therefore require more heating has corresponding to the high temperature. Work cited Markussen J, Damgaard U, Pingel M, Snel L, Sørensen AR and Sørensen E.k Human insulin (Novo): chemistry and characteristic, Journal of Diabetes Care (2002), Vol1:4-8 Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6343036 Read More