The Protein to Disease project was focused on learning protein synthesis. For the project, we first researched various diseases which were caused by protein incorrectly folding. Some of the diseases include Parkinson, Color Blindness, Gaucher, Lou Gehrig's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and others. My group ended up using Alzheimer's disease to create a poster that explained how protein synthesis works, relating it to how Alzheimer's is caused.
During the creation of our poster, my group created a gantt chart in order to plan out the project. We then spent time researching deeper into Alzheimer's specifically, finding information on which protein causes it and how, the symptoms of Alzheimer's, and if any cures existed. Then we related this to protein synthesis, using actual genetic sequences from the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) which causes Alzheimer's, and following the steps of creating a protein.
Protein synthesis involves three main components: transcription, translation, and folding. More detail on each subject can be found in the content section of this page.
During the creation of our poster, my group created a gantt chart in order to plan out the project. We then spent time researching deeper into Alzheimer's specifically, finding information on which protein causes it and how, the symptoms of Alzheimer's, and if any cures existed. Then we related this to protein synthesis, using actual genetic sequences from the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) which causes Alzheimer's, and following the steps of creating a protein.
Protein synthesis involves three main components: transcription, translation, and folding. More detail on each subject can be found in the content section of this page.
Reflection
In this project there were many positives and negatives that I have learned from. One positive of this project was that I learned how proteins are synthesized. This knowledge will help me not only in S.T.E.M but also further in my life if I choose a biology career. Protein synthesis is a complex process involving many areas of the cell, and is comprised of transcription, translation, and folding. Another thing that went well was my groups time management. With the help of the gantt chart, my group was able to finish our project early. Some negative things my group experienced included being distracted and a lack of complete understanding of protein synthesis. Even though my group finished early, we would often get distracted and loose valuable work time or time to practice our presentation. This leads into my other negative: my group not completely understanding protein synthesis. Since we did not have a deep understanding of the subject until a few days prior to our presentation, we lacked on being able to go in depth of how a protein is created. This hurt our overall presentation, so it's important that next time we stay focused and completely understand the material. |
Content
DNA - Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) is the carrier of genetic information. DNA is located inside the nucleus and is the genetic 'code' that determines genes. DNA relates to protein synthesis because it is what mRNA is copied from. mRNA - mRNA (messenger RNA) is a type of RNA that caries information. A mRNA molecule carries a specific sequence of DNA outside the nucleus into the cytoplasm for processing. mRNA is created during transcription, when a section of DNA is copied into an mRNA strand by a RNA polymerase. For protein synthesis, the mRNA contains the codons that match with anti-codons which create the polypeptide chains. tRNA - tRNA are the small RNA molecules which carry amino acids to ribosomes to create polypeptide chains. During translation, when the anti-codons of tRNA match the codons of the mRNA attached to the ribosome, the amino acid attached to the tRNA are added to the growing polypeptide chain. tRNA molecules affect protein synthesis because they bring the amino acids which create polypeptide chains, which form the proteins (in my case, the protein was Amyloid Precursor Protein) Transcription - Transcription is the process of copying the information of a DNA sequence into an mRNA strand. This involves a RNA polymerase attaching to the specific part of the DNA strand, unwinding it, copying one end, and then rewinding the DNA back. This new mRNA strand leaves the nucleus and then finds a ribosome to initiate translation. Translation - Translation is the step following transcription in protein synthesis. Once the mRNA attaches to the ribosome, tRNA (transfer RNA) molecules start to bring in amino acids and create the polypeptide chains. The polypeptide chains are sequences of amino acids, which are determined by the code of the anti-codons of the tRNA which match the codons of the mRNA Codons/Anti-Codons - Codons are triplet sequences on mRNA that code for a specific amino acid. Each different arrangement of 3 of the base nucleotides of RNA (U,A,C,G) calls for a different amino acid. Anti-codons are what tRNA molecules use to match up with the mRNA, giving the right amino acid to the polypeptide chain. The nucleotides of the anti-codons and the codons form pairs, allowing the right amino acid to be identified and passed on to the chain. Amino Acids - Amino acids are simple organic compounds. Every amino acid has the same structure, 1 amino group, 1 carboxyl group, 1 carbon, 1 hydrogen, and 1 side-chain. The side-chain is what differs in each amino acid, creating the 20 different types. Polypeptide Chain - Polypeptide chains are chains of many amino acids, held by amide bonds. These polypeptide chains are what create proteins. Ribosome - Ribosomes are small cellular compounds. They are comprised of ribosomal RNA and many proteins, and are formed by a larger subunit and a smaller subunit. Ribosomes exist in large numbers in the cytoplasm of the cell and in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Their job is to create polypeptide chains. Folding - Protein folding is the process of taking the polypeptide chains and folding them into domains, which are then folded into proteins. All proteins are formed of polypeptide chains, and the function of the protein is affected by how the chains fold into the 3D protein structure. Protein - Proteins are large macromolecules which are comprised of polypeptide chains. They perform a vast array of functions inside a cell, including catalyzing reactions, acting as messengers, creating structures, and transport and storage. |