Download Protein Folding Activity

PROTEIN FOLDING
ACTIVITY
HOW PROTEINS SHAPE OUR LIVES
DO-NOW
https://youtu.be/H8WJ2KENlK0?t=10m43s
Keep in mind while watching: What can you get from a video that you
can’t get from lecture? Why do you think this is so?
QUESTION TO CONSIDER
• How many different combinations can you make
using the 20 amino acids if your limit is a
polypeptide up to 20 amino acids in length? (1
minute)
• Once you’ve got an answer, defend your reasoning
by stating the technique you used to find get that
number. (1 minute)
• With a partner share the number you got and the
reaction you had when you saw that number. (1
minute)
THE ANSWER
104,857,600,000,000,000,000,000,000
1.048576 x 1026
PROTEIN FOLDING ACTIVITY
HOW DOES PROTEIN FOLDING AFFECT
ACTIVE SITE FORMATION?
• If the wrong amino acid is substituted or if an amino
acid is missing, the protein won’t fold correctly. This
means that the functional amino acids for that
protein won’t be next to each other to form the
active site.
IS IT OKAY FOR A PROTEIN
TO FOLD INCORRECTLY?
HEMOGLOBIN
SICKLE CELL
ANEMIA
The mutation in the
DNA leads to the
glutamic acid
amino acid
changing to a
valine.
CRITIQUE
So now that we’ve seen how important it is for
proteins to fold perfectly, let’s see how we did
during this activity today!
CRITIQUE
• How are the models different?
• Why are they different?
• How are the models similar?
• Do you think your protein would work?
• Do you think the other groups protein would work?
THE BIG IDEA
Even one amino acid out of place can
cause disaster in the body.