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4 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is a protein? |
A polymer of amino acid units. They fold into a defined shape that is determined by the amino acid sequence. Its structure determines its function. |
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What do proteins do? |
As enzymes, they make chemical reactions fast enough to sustain life. They move materials around inside and between cells (transporters, ion channels, etc.) |
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What do proteins do? (continued) |
They help cells to sense their environment and respond (hormones, transcription factors, etc.) They provide structure to cells, tissues, and organs (microtubules, collagens, keratins) They serve protective roles like recognizing pathogens (antibodies) or clotting blood |
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Why should pharmacists care about proteins? |
Drugs act on proteins to cause their pharmacological effect. Some proteins can affect drug concentration and half life in the body. Variation in protein/gene sequence between individuals can lead to variation in the drug's response. |
