What determines the characteristics of a protein primarily?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the factors that influence the characteristics of a protein, specifically which aspect is primarily responsible. This involves understanding the roles of amino acids and their arrangement in protein structure.
Answer
The sequence of amino acids.
The sequence of amino acids primarily determines the characteristics of a protein.
Answer for screen readers
The sequence of amino acids primarily determines the characteristics of a protein.
More Information
A protein's unique 3-dimensional structure and function are determined by its specific amino acid sequence, which is encoded by DNA. This primary structure is crucial as it influences how the protein folds and interacts with other molecules.
Tips
A common mistake is confusing the primary structure (amino acid sequence) with other levels like secondary, tertiary, or quaternary structures which are consequences of the primary sequence.
Sources
- How do genes work? - Protein - MedlinePlus - medlineplus.gov
- The Shape and Structure of Proteins - Molecular Biology of the Cell - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Protein Structure | Learn Science at Scitable - Nature - nature.com
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