Find a protein using PDB explorer-describe your protein, include what disease state or real-world application it has

Deoxyhemoglobin A



Deoxyhemoglobin S

Hemoglobin is a protein located within red blood cells. Its function is to transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. It also retrieves carbon dioxide transporting it back to the lungs. Normal hemoglobin structure contains both a tertiary and quaternary structures of a protein. The majority of the amino acids form alpha helices which are stabilized by hydrogen bonds. Its quaternary structure is formed by four globular protein subunits in a tetrahedral arrangement. Normal hemoglobin subunits contain 2 alpha chains and 2 beta chains which are arranged into Alpha-helix structured segments that bind to the non-protein Heme groups. Within the Heme group contains an iron charged ion which is the binding site of oxygen molecules.

Above the left picture is an example of “deoxyhemoglobin A” (“Deoxy”, when iron is not bound to any oxygen molecule). This is the typical shape of a normal hemoglobin molecule. The right picture is an example of deoxyhemoglobin S. This is a mutated hemoglobin molecule which is the cause for sickle cell disease. Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder brought on by abnormal hemoglobin forming a sickle shaped red blood cell.

Comparing these two photos helps you understand why the structure of proteins is so important to their function.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder brought on by the mutation of the beta globin chain causing the hydrophilic amino acid glutamic to be replacing with a hydrophobic amino acid valine. When there are two abnormal Beta globin subunits bound to 2 alpha globin subunits, it will form Hemoglobin S.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sickle_cell_disease

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemoglobin

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Structure/mmdb/mmdbsrv.cgi?uid=1118

What knowledge have you connected with past knowledge?

I graduated last year from Plymouth State University with a Bachelors of Science in Business Management. Then I realized that I wanted to become a Physician Assistant. So here I am now at UNH Manchester, trying to fulfill my science prerequisites for the PA program. People said I was crazy being a full time student and taking only science classes, as did I at first. But over the fall semester I realized that this was a great way to take in the plethora of information within these courses because they all coincide with one another.

Last semester I took Biology, Chemistry, and Anatomy and the concepts I learned from each class seem to build on top of each other. Now I am taking Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Anatomy. The concepts we have learned in Biochemistry have touched base with all material I have learned in other science courses.

In biology we learned about structure of organic molecules like proteins. I got to understand the basis behind a protein and how they are made. I knew only the basics behind a protein and now biochemistry has really helped me understand the process behind primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary structures of a protein and its subunits. Biochemistry has also been a big help in Anatomy. My last test in Anatomy was on the endocrine system. It was discussing the physiological aspects of steroids in my anatomy and then I would go more in depth into the structure and function of steroids in biochemistry. Biochemistry has also allowed me to use formulas and laws that I have learned in chemistry.

That is what I like about science; all fields are connected in some way. I get to take concepts from one course and then apply them to other fields in science. Biochemistry has touched base on everything I have learned in the past year, but took it one step further.

Find an interesting biochemistry website and put its link in the entry, and describe briefly what is found here.

http://www.wiley.com/legacy/college/boyer/0470003790/animations/animations.htm

I am a visual learner and by combining the complex processes that I learn in lecture and from my text with animations really helps me grasp the whole picture. Wiley.com has been a fun way for me to understand complex biochemical concepts.

When we started learning about amino acids I had problems remembering the structure of the 20 different amino acids. http://www.wiley.com/legacy/college/boyer/0470003790/animations/acideroids/acideroids.htm This game is called, “Acideroids”. It is kind of like the old Nintendo game “Asteroids”, except now the asteroids are different amino acids. You are in control of a ship that must pass through a field of acideroids and the only way to get through is to shoot and destroy the correct amino acid. I played for about an hour one day and by the end of my mission I knew structure of all 20 amino acids.

The "Cutting Edge", window within this website I found really interesting. It features articles on exciting developments within the field of biochemistry. I read an interesting article on Telomeres and how it could be the Holy Grail for eternal life and possible treatment for cancer patients.

This site has animations and tutorials that take you through critical structural and functional features of biomolecules. Every concept we have talked about in class you will find something about it here. Tests are also available take after each tutorial. It is a hands on way to grasp the big picture behind all concepts in Biochemistry. Check it out!

What is biochemistry, and how does it differ from the fields of genetics, biology, chemistry, and molecular biology

Biochemistry is the study of life in its chemical processes. This discipline emerged at the beginning of the 20^th century. Scientists began to combined chemistry, physiology and biology to investigate the chemistry of living organisms. It is seen as a life science and chemical science because it explores the chemistry within living organism.

Biochemistry is branched off from biology, chemistry, and now genetics. When comparing biology and biochemistry, picture them as micro and macro levels of life science.

At the Macro level Biology is the study of life and living organism, researching from the molecular and larger. Biologist's will look at these molecules and see how they interact with one another but focus on how they perform cellular tasks within an organism. They focus on their structure, function, growth, origin, and how they evolved in their biological system.

At the micro level, Biochemist's looks at how electrons, atoms, and molecules behave in biological systems, researching at the molecular level and smaller. Focusing on , structure, function, origin, and formation of molecules at the micro level.

Chemistry is the scientific study of matter, its properties, and interactions with other matter and energy. Biochemistry was branched off from chemistry because it looks at organic molecules of the periodic table and they relate and interact within biological systems.

Genetics is the study common traits within organism from previous generations. Common traits are described by genetic information carried by the molecule DNA. This is where the blueprints for constructing and operating an organism are contained. All living things contain DNA and biochemistry uses this knowledge to understand how molecules are formed within organisms. Biochemist’s want to learn the structure and function of cellular components like proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and other molecules within a biological system.

http://chemistry.about.com/od/chemistry101/a/basics.htm

http://www.medhelp.org/medical-information/show/1217/Genetics