PROTEIN SPLICING Meaning and
Definition
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Protein splicing is a molecular process that involves the removal of an intein (a segment of a protein) and the joining of the remaining protein fragments, called exteins, to produce a functional protein. This phenomenon was initially discovered in some unicellular organisms such as yeast, but it has been identified in a wide range of organisms, including bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes.
The process of protein splicing generally involves three main steps. First, the intein, which is a non-functional component of a precursor protein, excises itself. This self-removal process often requires a specific amino acid sequence and relies on the presence of certain cofactors or environmental factors.
Next, the amino acids flanking the intein, known as the exteins, are brought together and linked through a covalent bond. This ligation step results in the formation of a mature, functional protein without the presence of the intein. The exteins can be from the same precursor protein or derived from different protein sources.
Protein splicing has been recognized as a rare post-translational modification that can occur in various cellular proteins. It is considered a conformational change or rearrangement of the protein structure, which impacts its functional and structural properties. Researchers have also found that protein splicing plays a role in regulating protein function, as well as in evolutionary processes.
The study of protein splicing has significant implications in biotechnology and medicine. It has provided a basis for developing techniques such as intein-mediated protein purification and the design of novel protein engineering strategies. Additionally, protein splicing has opened up new possibilities in the pharmaceutical field, as it can be exploited to create precisely modified proteins for therapeutic use.
Common Misspellings for PROTEIN SPLICING
- orotein splicing
- lrotein splicing
- -rotein splicing
- 0rotein splicing
- peotein splicing
- pdotein splicing
- pfotein splicing
- ptotein splicing
- p5otein splicing
- p4otein splicing
- pritein splicing
- prktein splicing
- prltein splicing
- prptein splicing
- pr0tein splicing
- pr9tein splicing
- prorein splicing
- profein splicing
- progein splicing
- proyein splicing
Etymology of PROTEIN SPLICING
The word "protein splicing" is formed by combining the terms "protein" and "splicing".
- "Protein" is derived from the Greek word "proteios", meaning "of the first rank" or "primary". It was first used in English in the early 19th century to refer to a class of organic compounds essential for life and found in living organisms.
- "Splicing" comes from the Old English word "splitten", meaning "to split" or "to divide". It originally referred to the act of joining two pieces together, often associated with sewing or making repairs. In molecular biology, "splicing" is the process of removing introns (non-coding regions) from a pre-mRNA molecule and joining together the exons (coding regions) to form a mature mRNA molecule, which is then translated into a protein.
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