Table of Contents
What is Protein?
Protein is a molecule made up of amino acids. It is an important part of every cell in the body. Protein is essential for the body to grow and repair tissue.
Classification of Protein
There are five main classes of proteins:
- Enzymes: proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions.
- Structural proteins: proteins that form the structural framework of cells.
- Transport proteins: proteins that shuttle molecules and ions across cell membranes.
- Regulatory proteins: proteins that control the activity of other proteins.
- Hormones: proteins that regulate the body’s internal environment.
Classification By Solubility
Classification of compounds by their solubility is a way to group them according to how easily they dissolve in a given solvent. There are three main categories: soluble, partially soluble, and insoluble.
Soluble compounds dissolve completely in a solvent, while partially soluble compounds only partially dissolve. Insoluble compounds do not dissolve at all in the solvent. In addition, there are two subcategories of soluble compounds: strong and weak. Strong soluble compounds dissolve easily in a solvent, while weak soluble compounds only dissolve with some effort.
The most common way to classify compounds by their solubility is by using water as the solvent. Compounds that dissolve in water are water-soluble, while those that do not dissolve are water-insoluble. However, other solvents can be used depending on the application. For example, a solvent might be chosen because it is less flammable than water. In that case, soluble compounds in the new solvent would be considered water-soluble, while those that are not soluble would be considered solvent insoluble.
Classification by Biological Functions
There are many different ways to classify biological functions. One way is to group them by the type of molecule they are involved in. The six major types of molecules are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, vitamins, and minerals.
Another way to group biological functions is by the type of reaction they are involved in. The four major types of reactions are catalysis, energy generation, signal transduction, and cell division.
A third way to group biological functions is by the type of organism they are involved in. The four major types of organisms are plants, animals, fungi, and protists.
A fourth way to group biological functions is by the location of the molecule or reaction. The four major locations are the plasma membrane, the cytoplasm, the nucleus, and the mitochondria.
The Role of the Active Site
The active site is a specific region on an enzyme that catalyzes a chemical reaction. The active site is composed of amino acids that form a specific three-dimensional shape that binds to the substrate molecule. The amino acids in the active site are responsible for the chemical reaction and the enzyme’s specificity.
Enzyme Active Site
An enzyme’s active site is the specific location on the enzyme where the enzyme’s chemical reaction takes place. The active site is a small, well-defined region on the enzyme composed of amino acids that form a specific shape. This shape allows the enzyme to bind to the molecule it is catalyzing, which helps to increase the reaction rate. The active site is also where the enzyme’s catalytic power comes from.