CHE 211 Study Guide - Final Guide: Hemoglobin, Blood Sugar, Collagen
Organic Chemistry 2: Proteins
Biological Functions of Proteins
► Amino acids form polymers, which are known as peptides/proteins; structure and
function will also be examined (there are many types of proteins and they have many
biological functions)
► The relationship between function and structure is best illustrated with the chemistry of
amino acids, peptides and proteins
► Proteis eas of first iportace
► Proteins play a crucial role in biological processes
► All proteins are chemically similar; they are all made up of many amino acids linked
together by amide bonds
► Proteins are polymers of amino acids
► Proteins have many biological functions
▪ Enzymes – biological catalysts (any substance that speeds up the rate of a
chemical reaction without being consumed during the reaction); an example of
this is sucrase, which is the enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of sucrose
▪ Antibodies – defense proteins; specific proteins molecules produced by cells of
the immune system in response to invasion by infectious agents; immunoglobins
are an example of this and they stimulate the immune response
▪ Transport proteins – these are needed to transport materials from one part of
the body to the other; hemoglobin is an example of a transport protein that
transports oxygen
▪ Regulatory proteins – responsible for controlling many aspects of cellular
function, such as metabolism and reproduction; insulin is an example of
regulatory protein that regulates blood glucose levels
▪ Structural proteins – these provide mechanical support for large plants and
animals; collagen is in tendons and cartilage and caritine is in hair, skin, nails and
wool
▪ Movement proteins – these are responsible for all forms of movements; myosin
and actin are proteins that contract muscle fibers
▪ Nutrient proteins – these serve as the source of amino acid for embryos and
infants; casein stores protein in milk and ferratin stores iron in the spleen/liver
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