BASIC STRUCTURES AND

FUNCTION OF PROTEINS &

NUCLEIC ACIDS
 Learning Outcomes
At the end of this session, you should be able to
describe the basic structure and function of protein
and nucleic acid molecules used by living systems.
 PROTEIN

Proteins are worker molecules that are necessary for virtually every activity in your body. 3
AMINO ACID
Proteins are polymers of amino
acids.
Amino acids
- contain carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur

- central carbon atom surrounded

by:
-amino group
-carboxyl group
-single hydrogen
-variable R group
 AMINO ACID
• The R-group is a variable
group, meaning it varies
or is different for each
type of amino acid.

• R-group gives each

amino acid its
distinctive properties.

• Depending of the R-group

some amino acids are
hydrophilic and polar so
are soluble in water and
others are hydrophobic
with non polar R-groups
making them insoluble in
water 5
 A peptide bond forms when the amino end of one amino acid join to the carboxyl
end of another. Reacting amino and carboxyl groups are shown in red and
nonreacting groups are highlighted in green. Notice that the resulting dipeptide still
has an amino end and carboxyl end.
 PROTEIN
Proteins are defined as polypeptide
chains having 50 or more amino
acids.

Protein structure is described using four

levels of organization:
• Primary
• secondary
• tertiary
• quaternary structure
 PROTEIN
In the secondary structure hydrogen
The primary bonds causes the protein molecules to
structure is the form an alpha helix (coiled spring
sequence of shape) or a beta-pleated sheet flat
amino acid fold).
that make up
the protein.

In the tertiary
structure
proteins can
assume
complex 3- The
dimensional quaternary
shapes. structure is
Basically, the the grouping
coils and of 2 or more
pleated sheets tertiary
twist and structures.
combine with (eg:
each other. hemoglobin)
(eg: enzyme)
Denaturation & Renaturation
of Proteins
▪ A familiar example of heat-
caused denaturation are the
changes observed in the
albumin protein of egg whites
when they are cooked.
▪ When an egg is first cracked
open, the "whites" are
translucent and runny (they
flow like a liquid), but upon
heating they harden and turn
white.
▪ The change in viscosity and
color is an indication that the
proteins have been denatured.
 NUCLEIC ACID
Two types: DNA and RNA

Function of DNA:
• Store and transfer
genetic information
that control the cell

Function of RNA:
• Involved in protein
synthesis
 NUCLEIC ACID
Nucleic acids are polymers of
nucleotides
DNA

▪ double helix: 2 polynucleotide

strands connected by
hydrogen bonds
-polynucleotide strands are
complementary

RNA

▪ Single polynucleotide strand

14
 OTHER NUCLEOTIDE
Adenosine triphosphate Nicotinamide adenine Flavin adenine
(ATP) dinucleotide (NAD) dinucleotide (FAD)
primary energy Redox recation Redox reaction
currency of the cell

composed of an composed of two composed of an

adenine nucleotide nucleotides, adenine adenine nucleotide, a
base, a ribose sugar and nicotinamide ribose sugar and two
and three phosphate phosphate groups
groups