Proteins

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 Proteins

• Proteins are nitrogenous “macromolecules” composed of many amino

acids.

• The term protein is derived from Greek word “Proteios” , which means
“primary”, or “holding first place”.

• They are named so because proteins are the most important of biological
substances and are fundamental structural components of the body.

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 Composition of Proteins
• In addition to C, H, and O, proteins also contain N. The nitrogen content is around 16% of
the molecular weight of proteins.

• Small amounts of S and P are also present. Few proteins contain other elements such as
I, Cu, Mn, Zn and Fe, etc.

• Protein molecules are very large molecules made up of small units called Amino acids.

• More than 300 hundred amino acids have been described but only 20 amino acids have
been found to be present in mammalian tissues and take part in protein synthesis.

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 Amino acids

R is called a side chain and can be a hydrogen, aliphatic, aromatic or

heterocyclic group. Each amino acid has an amino group –NH2, a carboxylic
acid group -COOH and a hydrogen atom each attached to carbon
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Amino acids- overview
• Proteins are the most abundant and functionally diverse molecules in living
systems.
• Virtually every life process depends on this class of molecules.
• For example, enzymes and polypeptide hormones direct and regulate metabolism
in the body, whereas contractile proteins in muscle permit movement.
• In bone, the protein collagen forms a framework for the deposition of calcium
phosphate crystals, acting like the steel cables in reinforced concrete. In the
bloodstream, proteins such as hemoglobin and plasma albumin shuttle molecules
essential to life, whereas immunoglobulins destroy infectious bacteria and
viruses.
• In short, proteins display an incredible diversity of functions, yet all share the
common structural feature of being linear polymers of amino acids.

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Amino acid structure
• Although more than 300 different amino acids have been described in nature,
only twenty are commonly found as constituents of mammalian proteins.
• Each amino acid (except for proline) has a carboxyl group, an amino group, and a
distinctive side chain (“R-group”) bonded to the α-carbon atom
• At physiologic pH (pH = 7.4) the carboxyl group is dissociated, forming the
negatively charged carboxylate ion (–COO– ), and the amino group is protonated
(–NH3+).
• In proteins, almost all of these carboxyl and amino groups are combined in
peptide linkage, and are not available for chemical reaction (except for hydrogen
bond formation.
• Thus, it is the nature of the side chains that ultimately dictates the role an amino
acid plays in a protein.

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