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pro·tein (pr  t n , -t- n)n. Any of a group of complex organic macromolecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and usually sulfur and are composed of one or more chains of amino acids. Proteins are fundamental components of all living cells and include many substances, such as enzymes, hormones, and antibodies, that are necessary for the proper functioning of an organism. They are essential in the diet of animals for the growth and repair of tissue and can be obtained from foods such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, and legumes.
[French protéine, from Late Greek prteios, of the first quality, from Greek prtos, first; see per1 in Indo-European roots.]
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protein Noun any of a large group of nitrogenous compounds that are essential for life [Greek prōteios primary]
protein (prtn) Any of a large class of complex organic chemical compounds that are essential for life. Proteins play a central role in biological processes and form the basis of living tissues. They consist of long chains of amino acids connected by peptide bonds and have distinct and varied three-dimensional structures, usually containing alpha helices and beta sheets as well as looping and folded chains. Enzymes, antibodies, and hemoglobin are examples of proteins. A Closer Look Proteins are the true workhorses of the body, carrying out most of the chemical processes and making up the majority of cellular structures. Proteins are made up of long chains of amino acids, but they don't resemble linear pieces of spaghetti. The atoms in these long chains have their own attractive and repulsive properties. Some of the amino acids can form bonds with other molecules in the chain, kinking and twisting and folding into complicated, three-dimensional shapes, such as helixes or densely furrowed globular structures. These folded shapes are immensely important because they define the protein's function in the cell. Some protein shapes fit perfectly in cell receptors, turning chemical processes on and off, like a key in a lock, whereas others work to transport molecules throughout the body (hemoglobin's shape is ideal for carrying oxygen). When proteins fail to take on their preordained shapes, there can be serious consequences: misfolded proteins have been implicated in diseases such as Alzheimer's, mad cow, and Parkinson's, among others. Exactly how proteins are able to fold into their required shapes is poorly understood and remains a fundamental question in biochemistry. See more at prion. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Noun | 1. |  protein - any of a large group of nitrogenous organic compounds that are essential constituents of living cells; consist of polymers of amino acids; essential in the diet of animals for growth and for repair of tissues; can be obtained from meat and eggs and milk and legumes; "a diet high in protein"capsid - the outer covering of protein surrounding the nucleic acid of a virus gluten - a protein substance that remains when starch is removed from cereal grains; gives cohesiveness to dough meat - the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) used as food legume - the seedpod of a leguminous plant (such as peas or beans or lentils) eggs, egg - oval reproductive body of a fowl (especially a hen) used as food milk - a white nutritious liquid secreted by mammals and used as food by human beings amino acid, aminoalkanoic acid - organic compounds containing an amino group and a carboxylic acid group; "proteins are composed of various proportions of about 20 common amino acids" actomyosin - a protein complex in muscle fibers; composed of myosin and actin; shortens when stimulated and causes muscle contractions aleurone - granular protein in outermost layer of endosperm of many seeds or cereal grains amyloid - (pathology) a waxy translucent complex protein resembling starch that results from degeneration of tissue apoenzyme - a protein that combines with a coenzyme to form an active enzyme enzyme - any of several complex proteins that are produced by cells and act as catalysts in specific biochemical reactions fibrin - a white insoluble fibrous protein formed by the action of thrombin on fibrinogen when blood clots; it forms a network that traps red cells and platelets filaggrin - the main protein of the keratohyalin granules; "the specific target of the immune response in rheumatoid arthritis is filaggrin" growth factor - a protein that is involved in cell differentiation and growth haptoglobin - a protein in plasma that binds free hemoglobin and removes it (as from wounds) nucleoprotein - any of several substances found in the nuclei of all living cells; consists of a protein bound to a nucleic acid opsin - retinal protein formed by the action of light on rhodopsin prostate specific antigen, PSA - a protein manufactured exclusively by the prostate gland; PSA is produced for the ejaculate where it liquifies the semen and allows sperm cells to swim freely; elevated levels of PSA in blood serum are associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer proteome - the full complement of proteins produced by a particular genome simple protein - a protein that yields only amino acids when hydrolyzed polypeptide - a peptide containing 10 to more than 100 amino acids cytokine - any of various protein molecules secreted by cells of the immune system that serve to regulate the immune system ferritin - a protein containing 20% iron that is found in the intestines and liver and spleen; it is one of the chief forms in which iron is stored in the body antibody - any of a large variety of proteins normally present in the body or produced in response to an antigen which it neutralizes, thus producing an immune response |
 Translationsprotein [ˈprəutiːn] n → Protein nt, Eiweiß nt
proteinn protein [ˈprəutiːn]any of a large number of substances present in milk, eggs, meat etc, which are necessary as part of the food of human beings and animals. proteïenبروتينпротеинbílkovinaproteindas Proteinπρωτεΐνηproteínavalkپروتئینvalkuaisaineprotéineחֶלבּוֹןप्रोटीनfehérjeproteinprótín, hvítaproteinaタンパク質단백질baltymas, proteinasproteīns, olbaltumsproteineiwitproteinbiałkoproteínaproteinăбелок; протеинbielkovinabeljakovinaproteinproteinโปรตีนprotein蛋白質протеїн, білокپروٹين، غذائيت کا جزواعظمchất đạm protein蛋白质
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