Chapter 5
Structure and Function of Protein
Abstract Each protein is synthetized according to its genetic information of amino
acid sequence on DNA and the information of amino acid sequence determines
three-dimensional structure of the protein. Major functions of proteins are enzyme,
receptor and immunological antibody. Enzyme is the most important in them
because metabolic system of cell is chemical reactions catalyzed by network of
enzymes. Protein kinase and phosphatase is important system to regulate enzyme
activity as well as allosteric regulation.
5.1 History of Protein Study
Protein as enzyme is most important in chemical reaction system of living organisms.
Various chemical reactions become possible even at 37
C in the presence of enzymes
in human beings. Catalytic function of enzyme maintains complex biological functions. ‘Enzyme’ was named by Buchner for his discovery of catalytic substance in
extract from yeast cells in 1897. L. Pauling and R.B. Corey proposed α-helix structure
of polypeptide in 1951. F. Sanger determined amino acid sequence of insulin in 1955.
D. G. Smyth, W.H. Stein and S. Moore determined amino acid sequence of RNase in
1963. J. Kendrew et al. determined and constructed molecular structure model of
myoglobin from sperm of whale using X-ray diffraction in 1962. R. Schwyzen
chemically synthesized adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH, 39 amino acid residues)
and H. Zahn synthesized insulin (51amino acid residues) in 1963. R.B. Merrifield
synthesized RNase by solid phase peptide synthesis (124 amino acid residues) in 1969.
R.N. Henderson and P.N. Urwin determined structure of membrane protein, bacteriorhodopsin using electron beam diffraction in 1975. K. Itakura et al. biosynthesized
somatostatin of E. coli using chemically synthesized DNA in 1977. In membrane
proteins, M. Noda et al. determined amino acid sequence of acetylcholine receptor and
sodium channel in 1984. S. Yoshikawa et al. crystalized integral membrane protein,
cytochrome oxidase and determined its structure by use of X-ray diffraction in 1998.
Doyle et al. determined molecular structure of potassium channel by use of X-ray
diffraction in1998.
© Springer Japan KK, part of Springer Nature 2018
K. Ohki, H. Miyata, Physical Principles of Biomembranes and Cells,
Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-56841-4_5
71
Structure and Function of Protein
Abstract Each protein is synthetized according to its genetic information of amino
acid sequence on DNA and the information of amino acid sequence determines
three-dimensional structure of the protein. Major functions of proteins are enzyme,
receptor and immunological antibody. Enzyme is the most important in them
because metabolic system of cell is chemical reactions catalyzed by network of
enzymes. Protein kinase and phosphatase is important system to regulate enzyme
activity as well as allosteric regulation.
5.1 History of Protein Study
Protein as enzyme is most important in chemical reaction system of living organisms.
Various chemical reactions become possible even at 37
C in the presence of enzymes
in human beings. Catalytic function of enzyme maintains complex biological functions. ‘Enzyme’ was named by Buchner for his discovery of catalytic substance in
extract from yeast cells in 1897. L. Pauling and R.B. Corey proposed α-helix structure
of polypeptide in 1951. F. Sanger determined amino acid sequence of insulin in 1955.
D. G. Smyth, W.H. Stein and S. Moore determined amino acid sequence of RNase in
1963. J. Kendrew et al. determined and constructed molecular structure model of
myoglobin from sperm of whale using X-ray diffraction in 1962. R. Schwyzen
chemically synthesized adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH, 39 amino acid residues)
and H. Zahn synthesized insulin (51amino acid residues) in 1963. R.B. Merrifield
synthesized RNase by solid phase peptide synthesis (124 amino acid residues) in 1969.
R.N. Henderson and P.N. Urwin determined structure of membrane protein, bacteriorhodopsin using electron beam diffraction in 1975. K. Itakura et al. biosynthesized
somatostatin of E. coli using chemically synthesized DNA in 1977. In membrane
proteins, M. Noda et al. determined amino acid sequence of acetylcholine receptor and
sodium channel in 1984. S. Yoshikawa et al. crystalized integral membrane protein,
cytochrome oxidase and determined its structure by use of X-ray diffraction in 1998.
Doyle et al. determined molecular structure of potassium channel by use of X-ray
diffraction in1998.
© Springer Japan KK, part of Springer Nature 2018
K. Ohki, H. Miyata, Physical Principles of Biomembranes and Cells,
Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-56841-4_5
71