LEADER PEPTIDES Meaning and
Definition
-
Leader peptides are short amino acid sequences found at the N-terminus of precursor peptides that play a crucial role in the post-translational modification process known as ribosomal synthesis of bioactive peptides. These peptides are typically identified in bacteria and archaea, although they can also occur in some eukaryotic organisms.
The primary function of leader peptides is to guide the bioactive peptide synthesis by facilitating the recognition of the precursor peptide by specific enzymes responsible for catalyzing peptide bond formation. They function as targeting signals that direct the precursor peptide to the ribosome tunnel exit, where it can undergo further processing.
Leader peptides possess specific characteristics that make them distinguishable from the rest of the precursor peptide sequence. They often contain conserved motifs that act as recognition sites for processing enzymes or bind to specialized proteins involved in the biosynthetic pathway. Furthermore, their length is generally short, ranging from a few amino acids up to around 30 amino acids.
The recognition and processing of leader peptides are vital steps in the biosynthesis of many important bioactive peptides, including antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides, and signaling molecules. The proper function of these peptides ensures efficient synthesis, folding, and export of bioactive peptides, thus playing a pivotal role in cellular processes such as cell signaling, defense against pathogens, and regulation of gene expression.
Common Misspellings for LEADER PEPTIDES
- keader peptides
- peader peptides
- oeader peptides
- lwader peptides
- lsader peptides
- ldader peptides
- lrader peptides
- l4ader peptides
- l3ader peptides
- lezder peptides
- lesder peptides
- lewder peptides
- leqder peptides
- leaser peptides
- leaxer peptides
- leacer peptides
- leafer peptides
- learer peptides
- leaeer peptides
- leadwr peptides
Etymology of LEADER PEPTIDES
The word "leader peptides" is formed by combining the words "leader" and "peptides".
The word "leader" comes from the Old English word "lǣdere", which means "one who leads". It has its roots in the Proto-Germanic word "*laithrijan", which is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root "*leit-", meaning "to go forth".
The word "peptide" originates from the Greek word "peptos", meaning "digested" or "to digest". It is related to the Greek word "peptein", which means "to digest".
Therefore, when combined, "leader peptides" refers to peptides that play a leading role in certain biological processes. In molecular biology, leader peptides are short sequences of amino acids that direct the transportation and secretion of proteins to the correct location within a cell or to be secreted outside the cell.
