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The simplest explanation of protein structure and function to help you understand just how important this macromolecule is!
Image Credit: OpenStax Biology
Thanks for stopping by, this is 2 Minute Classroom and today we are talking about proteins, and their structure and function in living organisms.
Proteins are macromolecules made primarily of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Nitrogen, but can have other atoms for certain proteins. Proteins are so abundant in the body and crucial to cell function that they are often called the building blocks of life. Let’s first talk about protein structure and then we’ll talk about many of their fantastic functions.
The basic subunits of all proteins are called Amino Acids, and there are 20 main amino acids in living organisms. These amino acids all have the same basic structure with a carboxyl group and an amino group, but differ in their R group or side chain. The resulting amino acid may be polar, nonpolar, negatively charged, positively charged, or aromatic.
If that all went way over your head, that’s okay for this video. Just know that there are 20 amino acids with subtle differences resulting in a variety of chemical behaviors.
These amino acids bond with each other through a peptide bond and form long chains referred to as polypeptide chains. These chains then fold and bond with themselves form a complete protein, and sometimes they combine with other proteins to make a more complex protein structure.
Hemoglobin is a great example of this. Hemoglobin is the structure in red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen to the cells. It is made of four globin protein subunits, each with an iron containing heme group. In other words, amino acids form polypeptide chains that can become complex quickly.
Along with carrying oxygen through the body, proteins have many other important functions.
Enzymes are proteins that assist in most chemical reactions in living organisms. Lactase that was mentioned in my last video is the enzyme responsible for breaking down the carbohydrate lactose. In addition to digestion, enzymes also metabolic energy pathways, genetic functions like transcription and translation, and signaling communication between cells, and the list continues.
Proteins are also crucial in forming the interior structure of the cell (the cytoskeleton) and are responsible for transporting materials both within the cell and between cells. And of course, our muscles are densely packed with proteins that facilitate the movement of our entire body.
Proteins also include antibodies involved in our immune response and hormones used to communicate specific actions in cells throughout the body.
That was quite the crash course into proteins. If you enjoyed this video let me know by hitting that like button and if you have additional comments or questions throw those below.
Don’t forget to check out my other videos and I’ll catch you next time!