Topic

Classification of proteins
 CLASSIFICATION OF PROTEINS
• Proteins are classified:
• On the basis of shape and size
• On the basis of functional properties
• On the basis of solubility and physical
properties.
 I. On the basis of shape and size
• Fibrous proteins:
When the axial ratio of length: width
of a protein molecule is more than 10, it is called a
fibrous protein.
• Examples: α-keratin from hair, collagen.
• Globular protein:
When the axial ratio of length: width of a protein
molecule is less than 10, it is called as globular protein.
• Examples:
• Myoglobin, haemoglobin, ribonuclease, etc.
 II. On the basis of functional properties:

• The second way of classifying proteins makes

use of their functional properties, such as:
• Defence proteins:
Immunoglobulins involved in defence
mechanisms.
• Contractile proteins:
Proteins of skeletal muscle involved in muscle
contraction and relaxation
 Conti…
• Respiratory proteins:
• Involved in the function of respiration, like
haemoglobin, myoglobin, cytochromes.
• Structural proteins:
Proteins of skin,cartilage, nail.
• Enzymes: Proteins acting as enzymes.
• Hormones: Proteins acting as hormones
 III. On the basis of solubility and physical
properties
• According to this scheme proteins are
classified on the basis of their solubility and
physical properties and are divided in three
different classes.
• Simple proteins
• Conjugated proteins
• Derived proteins
 Conti..
• A. Simple proteins: These are proteins which on
complete
• hydrolysis yield only amino acids.
• B. Conjugated proteins: These are proteins which
• in addition to amino acids contain a non-protein group
• called prosthetic group in their structure.
• C. Derived proteins: These are the proteins formed
from native protein by the action of heat, physical
forces or chemical factors.
 Simple Proteins
• The simple proteins are those which are made of
amino acid units only, joined by peptide bond.
Upon hydrolysis they yield mixture of amino acids
and nothing else.
• Examples:
• ALBUMINS: Egg albumin, serum albumin , Lact
albumin
• GLOBULIN: Tissue globulin, serum globulin
• GLIADINS: wheat gliadin, hordein ( barley) etc
 CONJUGATED PROTEINS
• Conjugated proteins are simple proteins
combined with a non-protein group called
prosthetic group. Protein part is called
apoprotein, and entire molecule is called
• Holoprotein
• Nucleoproteins
• Mucoproteins
• Glycoproteins
• Lipoproteins
 Derived Proteins:
• This class of proteins includes those protein
products formed from the simple and
conjugated proteins. It is not a well defined
class of proteins. These are produced by
various physical and chemical factors and are
divided in two major groups.
• Primary derived proteins:
• Secondary derived proteins:
 Primary derived proteins
• Primary derived proteins are synonymous with
denatured proteins in which peptide bonds
remain intact.
• Proteans
• Metaproteins
• Coagulated proteins
 Secondary derived proteins:
• These are the proteins formed by the progressive
hydrolysis of proteins at their peptide linkages.
They represent a great complexity with respect to
their size and amino acid composition.
• They are roughly called as
• proteoses,
• peptones
• peptides
• according to relative average molecular size.