Importance of proteins in living organisms

-Protein structure/synthesis -Muscle structure -Enzymes -membrane proteins -Hormonal proteins -Transporter (haemoglobin)

Proteins are long chains of amino acids, joined together through peptide bonds. There are around 22 essential amino acids, with their general formula being NH2CRCOOH, the R group is what makes one amino acid different from another, and can range from a simple CH3 group to a very complex side chain. These amino acid chains (known as primary protein structure) then hydrogen bond with themselves forming either an Alpha helix structure or a Beta pleated sheet (known as secondary structure). The secondary structure then bonds in a particular way to different parts of the chain, based on the structure of the comprising amino acids branched R groups, forming a particular tertiary structure, held together by for example ionic, hydrogen or disulphide bonds. Some proteins then go on to form a quaternary structure where several protein chains bond to form a large complex molecule, an example being haemoglobin. The 2 main types of protein are globular (globe like) and fibrous (long). Protein function is therefore purely based on structure, and the proteins that are produced within the body are decided by an organisms DNA, with each triplet code, formed by any 3 of the chemicals adenine, thymine, cytosine and guanine, coding for a different amino acid to be produced in a proteins primary structure. Enzymes are proteins that catalyse chemical reactions within the body, and nearly all reactions that take place within cells require a specific enzyme to either make them happen, or make them happen quicker or with less energy needed, enzymes therefore are used to lower the activation enthalpy for reactions, allowing them to happen at lower body temperatures, so less energy needed from respiration, and they speed reactions up. Enzymes are highly specific to certain reactions/ substrates. An example of an enzyme catalysed reaction would be the breakdown of proteins in an organisms gut, where the enzyme pepsin is required in order to breakdown large insoluble proteins into smaller soluble ones that the organism can absorb and incorporate into their own body, process is known as assimilation. The lock and key model of enzyme action states that an enzyme has a specific tertiary structure that only allows one or possibly two substrates to enter and bind to the enzymes active sight (forming an enzyme- substrate complex), making enzymes specific, as the enzyme and substrate are complementary to each other. The substrate is then broken down into smaller parts and rereleased and is free to react with other chemicals in the body. Proteins are important molecules in cell membrane structure. Cells have a membrane that surrounds them, which separate the inside and outside of the cell, and controls all passage into and out of the cell. This membrane consists of a phospholipid bilayer with proteins embedded in it; these proteins can serve a number of functions. Structural proteins help to maintain the stability of the cell, particularly important when the cell is under strain from osmotic pressures. Transport proteins are very important as they control and facilitate the movement of ions and small molecules across the membrane. Ions and charged molecules require certain specific carrier proteins, which they bind to, changing the shape of the proteins and allowing them to move across to the other side of the membrane and be released, this is called facilitated diffusion, or If energy in the form of ATP is required to help this process, active transport. Active transport allows for molecules/ions to move from areas of low concentration to areas of high concentration, an example would be the sodiumpotassium pump, which allows for high concentration of potassium inside cells and low concentration of sodium inside cells, and requires a particular channel protein which has a high affinity for sodium when facing into the cell, but a high affinity for potassium when facing outwards.

Muscles are essential in larger organism, as they allow for movement of the organism or for example in the heart to pump blood around the body. Muscles are composed of proteins; the proteins Myosin and Actin are responsible for muscle contraction/ relaxation. During muscle contraction the protein Actin, composed of 2 chains of globular proteins wound around each other, are forced along myosin strands, which are globular protein heads with fibrous tails, the heads binding to sites on actin filaments and then changing shape, forcing thin actin filaments over thicker myosin filaments. Hormones are chemical messengers, and can relay messages between cells of the body. These can be proteins; an example would be insulin, which is made up of 2 amino acid chains, and is released into the blood stream when the cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas detect a rise in blood glucose. Insulin then causes an increased uptake of glucose by the cells of muscles, liver, and fat tissue, it also activates the enzymes which turn glucose into glycogen and fat. This is an example of proteins being used for homeostasis in an organism. Proteins can also be used for the transport of other molecules around the body, an example being haemoglobin, which is a protein made up of 4 amino acid chains (2x , 2x ), each housing an iron containing heme group. Its function is to carry oxygen molecules around the body in the blood from the lungs, so that oxygen can be used as final electron acceptor during oxidative phosphorylation in respiring tissue.