TABLE OF CONTENTS J ns Berzelius coined the name protein in 1833. It is derived from the Greek word proteios, which means of first rank, and is meant to stress the importance of this type of molecule. Along with nucleic acids, the molecules that control heredity and the synthesis of proteins, proteins are certainly of critical importance. Proteins are found in all living cells. They make up a large part of animal bodies, 49% of a human red blood cell, and plants as well, 70% of the chloroplasts in spinach lamella. Proteins are heteropolymers and usually consist of between 50 and 2000 polymeric units called amino acid residues. This section will briefly introduce the importance of these macromolecules, as well as a few details of their structure. While these molecules are complex, they can be understood using the basic guiding principles of organic and polymer chemistry that have already been discussed.
Proteins are essential to a broad range of biological processes. Following Stryer [3], we will briefly list some of these functions:
Nearly all chemical reactions in biological systems are catalyzed by macromolecules called enzymes. The first question you might ask is What does catalyzed mean? A catalyzed reaction involves a catalyst, a substance that does not appear in either the reactants or the products of a chemical reaction, but greatly enhances the conversion of the reactants into the products. Some reactions are impossible without a catalyst, while the rate of other reactions are greatly increased. You...
