Protein synthesis is very important. The human body contains about 100,000 different types of protein. The body needs protein to grow, heal, and carry about nearly every chemical reaction in the body. However, some proteins can also be deadly!
Botulinum toxin is incredibly toxic, and can be found in meat products that have not been handled correctly. It would only take 100 nanograms to kill you, by paralysing all your muscles. Strangely – it is also the protein used in Botox, used to paralyse facial muscles in order to get rid of wrinkles.
Prions are very scary proteins which can cause different brain diseases. They are basically proteins that have gone wrong when being made, and folded in abnormal ways. They can then cause normal proteins in the brain to fold abnormally. This can cause tiny microscopic holes to appear, basically turning the brain into a sponge. Unfortunately this cannot be stopped – and can cause dementia, loss of control and eventually death.
GCSE (Edxcel) scientists – you need to be able to explain the synthesis of protein. For help, try our new guide “How to work with Protein Synthesis”. It includes a description of transcription and translation. As always there are questions to try, and answers to check your understanding.
Click on the picture below to see the guide.
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