amino acids and proteins

• Proteins are among the most common organic molecules in living environments
• All proteins are composed of one or more chains of amino acids
• Enzymes act as catalysts in biochemical reactions and recognize one or more substrates
• Examples of enzymes in the human body:

  • Lipases: help digest fats in the gut
  • Amylase: changes starches into sugars
  • Maltase: breaks down maltose into glucose
  • Trypsin: breaks proteins down into amino acids
  • Lactase: breaks lactose into glucose and galactose
  • Acetylcholinesterase: breaks down acetylcholine
  • Helicase: unravels DNA
  • DNA polymerase: synthesizes DNA
• Hormones are long-distance chemical signals released by endocrine cells
• Proteins come in different shapes and sizes, some are globular and others form long, thin fibers
• Amino acids are the monomers that makeup proteins
• The human body uses amino acids to make proteins for various functions
• Amino acids can be classified into three groups:

  • Essential amino acids: must come from food
  • Nonessential amino acids: produced by the body
  • Conditional amino acids: not essential except in times of illness and stress
• 9 essential amino acids:

  • Histidine
  • Isoleucine
  • Leucine
  • Lysine
  • Methionine
  • Phenylalanine
  • Threonine
  • Tryptophan
  • Valine
• Examples of essential amino acids and their functions:

  • Phenylalanine: precursor for neurotransmitters
  • Valine: stimulates muscle growth and regeneration
  • Threonine: part of structural proteins and fat metabolism
  • Tryptophan: precursor to serotonin
  • Methionine: important for metabolism and tissue growth
  • Leucine: critical for protein synthesis and muscle repair
  • Isoleucine: involved in muscle metabolism and immune function
  • Lysine: major role in protein synthesis and immune function
  • Histidine: used to produce histamine and maintain the myelin sheath
• Essential amino acids cannot be made by the body
• Enzymes speed up the reaction
• Hormones control specific physiological processes, such as growth, development, metabolism, and reproduction
• Proteins are among the most abundant organic molecules in living systems
• Leucine plays an important role in metabolism and detoxification
• Non-essential amino acids produce an amino acid even if we do not get it from the food we eat
• The protein that carries oxygen in the blood is a fibrous protein
• Amino acids are the monomers that make up proteins
• Hemoglobin is an important peptide hormone that helps regulate blood glucose levels
• Nonessential amino acids are usually not essential, except in times of illness and stress
• Phenylalanine:

  • Precursor for neurotransmitters tyrosine, dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine
  • Integral role in structure and function of proteins and enzymes
  • Production of other amino acids
• Valine:

  • Branched-chain amino acid
  • Stimulates muscle growth and regeneration
  • Involved in energy production
• Threonine:

  • Principal part of structural proteins like collagen and elastin
  • Important for skin and connective tissue
  • Role in fat metabolism and immune function
• Tryptophan:

  • Needed for proper nitrogen balance
  • Precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates appetite, sleep, and mood
• Methionine:

  • Important for metabolism and detoxification
  • Necessary for tissue growth and absorption of zinc and selenium
• Leucine:

  • Branched-chain amino acid
  • Critical for protein synthesis and muscle repair
  • Regulates blood sugar levels and stimulates wound healing
• Isoleucine:

  • Branched-chain amino acid
  • Involved in muscle metabolism and concentrated in muscle tissue
  • Important for immune function, hemoglobin production, and energy regulation
• Lysine:

  • Major role in protein synthesis, hormone and enzyme production
  • Absorption of calcium
  • Important for energy production, immune function, and collagen and elastin production
• Histidine:

  • Used to produce histamine, a neurotransmitter vital to immune response, digestion, sexual function, and sleep-wake cycles
  • Critical for maintaining the myelin sheath around nerve cells