B1.2. Proteins
Subject: Biology | Author: Michel Onfray
About this Topic Book
Welcome to the world of proteins! In this module, we'll explore one of the most vital and versatile classes of biological molecules. If you think of nucleic acids like DNA and RNA as the blueprints that contain all the genetic information for a living organism, then proteins are the skilled architects, engineers, and builders that bring those plans to life.
Proteins are not just for building muscle; they are the workhorses of the cell, carrying out a staggering array of functions. They can be structural components, a bit like the steel girders in a skyscraper, but they also act as enzymes that speed up chemical reactions, hormones that send messages between cells, and antibodies that protect us from disease. Their incredible versatility comes from their complex and precise three-dimensional shapes, which are determined by the simplest of building blocks.
In this chapter, we will uncover how a seemingly simple chain of amino acids can fold and twist into a precise shape that allows it to perform a highly specific job, and how a change in even a single building block can have profound consequences for the entire organism. We will also investigate how environmental factors like temperature and pH can influence these intricate molecular structures.