By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
Proteins comprise more than 50% of a cell's dry weight and perform many functions in the body including regulation. It is the structure of proteins that our DNA codes for. Proteins, in turn, mediate the cell's, therefore the organism's, activities.
This lesson is about protein structure and it's impact on function. DNA codes for protein in the cell; proteins ensure that other macromolecules are synthesized. The monomers of proteins are amino acids. Condensation reactions result in peptide linkages which form polypeptide chains of many amino acids. This is the primary structure of proteins. They can (or not) fold into the secondary structures of alpha helices or beta pleated sheets. Protein function can only be realized once the tertiary structure has formed. Some, but not all proteins, aggregate together to become quaternary proteins.
Source: M O'Mahony, open source figures
Student note template to complete while watching the video
Source: M. O'Mahony, open source figures
This activity was shared on one of the list serves I belong to. You've done some of this, but the folding rules at the beginning of the "assignment" are good and I don't think I've given you anything written about it.
Source: Michal Kreiselman
The Concord Consortium has an excellent series of activities on Proteins at
http://molo.concord.org/database/browse/module/10.00/.
Their Protein Folding activity can be found at: http://molo.concord.org/database/activities/225.html
Go to the site: http://mw.concord.org/modeler/
and select Proteins and Nucleic Acids
Lessons 1-6 are about Proteins.
This simulator requires Java.
Source: Molecular Workbench, The Concord Consortium
Analysis questions for the 3D Molecular Designs manipulatives.
Source: 3D Molecular Designs
Instructions for using the materials to make a protein.
Source: 3D Molecular Designs
Examining protein secondary structure using the manipulatives
Source: 3D Molecular Designs
Short article (with processing questions) from Science Daily that examines the role of protein folding when the environment around the protein changes.
Straight forward reading.