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In this term paper we will discuss about the structure of protein.
Term Paper on the Structure of Protein
1. Primary Structure of Protein:
Information regarding the sequence of amino acids in a protein chain is called its primary structure. The sequence of amino acids i.e., the positional information in a protein – which is the first amino acid, which is second, and so on – is called the primary structure of a protein. A protein is imagined as a line, the left end represented by the first amino acid and the right end represented by the last amino acid.
The first amino acid is also called as N-terminal amino acid. The last amino acid is called C-terminal amino acid. A protein thread does not exist throughout as an extended rigid rod but is folded in the form of a helix (similar to a revolving staircase) due to its length.
2. Secondary Structure of Protein:
The secondary structure arises due to the regular folding of the polypeptide chain due to hydrogen bonding between -C=O- and >NH group. There are two types of secondary structures which are common to observe. These are α -helix when the chain coils up and (3-pleated sheet when hydrogen bonds are formed between the chains.
3. Tertiary Structure of Protein:
It is a three- dimensional structure of proteins. It arises due to the folding and superimposition of various a-helical chains or (3-pleated sheets. For example, the tertiary structure for the protein myoglobin.
4. Quaternary Structure of Protein:
The quaternary structure refers to the way in which simple protein chains associate with each other resulting in the formation of a complex protein. By different modes of bonding in secondary and tertiary structural levels, a protein molecule appears to have a unique three dimensional structure.