SIGNAL PEPTIDE Meaning and
Definition
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A signal peptide is a short amino acid sequence found at the beginning of a protein that serves as a targeting signal, facilitating the transportation of the protein to the correct location within the cell. It is typically located at the N-terminus, or the starting end, of the protein.
Signal peptides play a critical role in protein synthesis, maturation, and secretion. After the ribosome synthesizes the protein, the signal peptide is recognized by the signal recognition particle (SRP), a complex of RNA and protein. The ribosome becomes temporarily halted, and the SRP guides it to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a cellular organelle responsible for protein processing and transport. Once the ribosome and the attached protein reach the ER, the signal peptide is cleaved off by a specific enzyme, and the protein is further modified and folded.
Furthermore, signal peptides can vary in length and amino acid composition, reflecting the diverse requirements of different proteins in terms of targeting and localization within the cell. Some signal peptides simply act as localization signals, directing protein synthesis to specific cellular compartments, while others may be responsible for sorting proteins to different organelles, such as the plasma membrane or the mitochondria.
In summary, signal peptides provide crucial signals that help direct the synthesis and transport of proteins to their appropriate locations within the cell, enabling them to perform their specific functions.
Common Misspellings for SIGNAL PEPTIDE
- aignal peptide
- zignal peptide
- xignal peptide
- dignal peptide
- eignal peptide
- wignal peptide
- sugnal peptide
- sjgnal peptide
- skgnal peptide
- sognal peptide
- s9gnal peptide
- s8gnal peptide
- sifnal peptide
- sivnal peptide
- sibnal peptide
- sihnal peptide
- siynal peptide
- sitnal peptide
- sigbal peptide
- sigmal peptide
Etymology of SIGNAL PEPTIDE
The word "signal peptide" is composed of two parts: "signal" and "peptide".
The term "signal" comes from the Latin word "signum", meaning a sign or a mark. In this context, "signal" refers to a molecular sign or mark that serves as a guide or indicator.
The word "peptide" is derived from the Greek word "peptos", meaning "to digest". Peptides are short chains of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. In biology, peptides often play important roles as signaling molecules or as building blocks of proteins.
Therefore, "signal peptide" refers to a specific region within a protein chain that functions as a signal or guide for targeting the protein to a particular cellular location, usually the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in eukaryotic cells or the plasma membrane in prokaryotic cells.
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