CBSE 10th Class Study Material: The CBSE Class 10 board exam is one of the first major moments in a student's life. This stage of...
CBSE Class 10 Study Material 2025: Sample Paper PDF, Books
October 11, 2024Proteins are large, complex molecules that play many critical roles in the body. They are essential for the growth, maintenance, and repair of body cells and tissues and form an important component of our organs, muscles, skin, hair, and nails. Proteins are made up of hundreds or thousands of smaller units called amino acids, which are attached to one another in long chains. Proteins are the essential building blocks of our body and the vital nutrients in our diet.
Let us talk about Proteins definition, sources, classification and function in this article below.
Proteins are complex biomolecules made up of many small units called amino acids. The amino acids strands are twisted to form long chains. There are \(20\) amino acids common to most proteins. The specific order of these amino acids determines the structure and function of proteins. The long chains of amino acids then fold in peculiar ways, and a three-dimensional structure is formed, which becomes the functional protein.
Thus, amino acids become the building blocks of proteins, and since many amino acids are joined together, a protein molecule becomes quite large, hence called a macromolecule.
Protein is made up of amino acids. Each amino acid is an organic molecule consisting of a central carbon atom attached to an amino group, carboxyl group, hydrogen atom and a variable side chain (R group). There are \(20\) amino acids common to most proteins and fewer common ones. The general structure of an amino acid looks like this:
Each amino acid is linked with the next one through a covalent bond called a peptide bond. Many such amino acids join to form a linear chain. This linear chain is called a polypeptide. Biologically occurring polypeptides vary in size and consist of two to three thousand amino acids. The linear chain of amino acids, i.e., polypeptide, becomes the primary structure. It may consist of one or many polypeptides.
When the amino acids join, the side chains or \(R\) groups acquire a particular spatial arrangement, called conformation. Such conformations decide the secondary and tertiary structures. Due to intermolecular attractions between the \(R\) groups, the polypeptide chains fold onto themselves in characteristic ways. The foldings form two patterns called \(\alpha – \)helix and \(\beta – \)sheets.
These stable foldings make the secondary structures of a protein. The three-dimensional arrangement of helices and sheets makes the tertiary structure. Most proteins contain multiple helices and sheets, and the entire aggregation of them with three-dimensional foldings makes the quaternary structure. Thus, we can see \(4\) levels of protein structure:
Proteins carry out various functions in our body as below:
Proteins can be classified according to their composition, structure, and function. Let us look at them one by one.
proteins are classified as simple, conjugated, and derived proteins:
Based on the structure, proteins can be classified as:
Fibrous Proteins | Globular Proteins | Intermediate Proteins |
Deficiency of proteins occurs when one does not get enough proteins from the diet to meet the body’s requirements. Protein deficiency may lead to serious health complications. A severe form of protein deficiency leads to a disease called Kwashiorkor. It is common in Central Africa and South Asia, and 30% of children suffer. The general symptoms of kwashiorkor are:
Kwashiorkor can be treated with increased intake of proteins and calories overall, especially if treatment is started early.
1. Protein Synthesis 2. Single Cell Protein 3. Importance of Nutrients 4. Nutrient Cycle 5. Nutrition in Bacteria |
As we have seen, all the biological functions of proteins and their importance to our body functions are very high. Proteins carry out various tasks in our bodies. From growth, cell repair to immunity, many more functions is carried out by proteins. They are important for children, teens, and pregnant women.
The frequently asked doubts about Proteins are answered here:
Q.1. What is protein? Ans: Protein is one of the most important macronutrients of our diet. It is a macromolecule with a complex structure and diverse biological functions. |
Q.2. What are some examples of protein? Ans: Soy milk, fish, pulses, cheese, pumpkin seeds, almonds, chicken, meat, eggs are all examples of dietary/biological proteins. |
Q.3. What foods are proteins? Ans: Sources of proteins include all types of lean meats, poultry products such as chicken and egg, fish and marine creatures like prawn, lobsters, dairy products such as milk, cheese, curd, cottage cheese (paneer), and plant products such as beans, pulses, nuts, seed, soy products as soy milk, tofu, etc. are the rich dietary sources of proteins. |
Q.4. What are the functions of proteins? Ans: Proteins exhibit a diverse array of biological functions. They form the structural components of tissues like bones, tendons, carry out all cellular and biochemical reactions at the cellular and body level, help in transporting substances, etc. |
Q.5. What are the 4 types of protein? Ans: Protein structure can be classified as primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary. |
Now that you are provided with a detailed article on Proteins, we hope you do not face issues while preparing for the exam. If you have any queries, do let us know about them in the comments section below, and we will get back to you soon.