![]() ![]() I just explained that the “recipe” proteins use to fold is in the sequence of amino acids, more specifically, protein folding is determined by the physicochemical properties that are encoded in the amino acids. © 2010 Nature Education All rights reserved. The protein folds into a specific conformation depending on the interactions (dashed lines) between its amino acid side chains. įigure 1: The relationship between amino acid side chains and protein conformation. The linear sequence of amino acids within a protein is considered the primary 1D structure and their ordering determines how the protein chain will fold up itself. Įvery protein consists of a linear chain of basic units called amino acids, in average a protein is synthesized from 300 amino acids. However, how do proteins reach their final form? Basically, they fold until acquiring their functional 3D native structure. The distinct “functional native structure” of proteins is important because it exposes several binding sites, channels, receptors and thus impacts how they bind other molecules or how proteins physically interact with others and assemble into complexes for structural or regulatory processes. For example, some proteins form pockets named active sites that perfectly fit to bind a particular target molecule. The specific shape of each protein is tightly related to their function. As mentioned above, some proteins are structural, others transport other molecules, others are receptors, etc. The human body contains a subset of 20,000 - 25,000 protein-coding genes with the ability to generate 20,000 to over millions of unique types of proteins.Įach has characteristic shapes, a 3D structure, that allow them to perform a precise function. Why is Protein's 3D Structure so Important? All processes taking place in an organism have proteins acting somewhere. They do most of the work in the cell form important structures, transmit signals to regulate body tissues and organs, transport other molecules, carry out chemical reactions and even protect the body from bacterias and viruses. Probably you have heard that proteins are considered fundamental for the structure and function of all organisms and for that reason they are usually described as the “building blocks of life”. “In the drama of life on a molecular scale, proteins are where the action is” ![]() Through this article, I hope to convince you about the huge biological impact of AlphaFold advances on determining protein structures from its amino acid sequence and why the scientific community is so excited about it. However, why is predicting the protein’s 3D structure so important? Also, how difficult can that be? Not just peer scientists, but even the general media like the New York Times is recognizing the AI team DeepMind for their incredible breakthrough results in the so-called “protein folding problem” and talking about how “this is a big deal”. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |