Introduction to Proteins

Abstract

Proteins are the ambidexterity macromolecules which play a crucial role in biological processes. Through proteins, genetic information is expressed. They exhibit enormous functions which are crucial in various pathways. Some proteins act as an enzyme which is vital for catalyzing various metabolic reactions in living cells. All proteins are made up of amino acids which join together via a peptide bond to form a polypeptide chain which is a precursor for the further development of protein. A nascent protein undergoes several post-translational modifications to achieve its true function. Based on the amino acids present in the protein, its function determines its role as hormones, enzymes, antibodies, transporters, etc. In this chapter, a brief introduction to protein’s structure and function is discussed.

Keywords: Amino acids, Antibodies, Enzyme, Gene expression, Hormone, Peptide bond, Protein, Polypeptide chain, Post-translation modification, Transporters.