BIOL 302 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Antigen, Antibody, Oxidoreductase
19 Jan 2017
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Ligand= any substance that is bound to/by a protein. Ability of a protein to bind selectively and with high affinity (how tightly 2 molecules bond) is due to noncovalent bonds. If binding of protein and ligand is unfavored, will dissociate. The folding of the polypeptide chain creates a cavity on the protein surface: allows ligand to interact with and bind to protein. All proteins must bind to ligands to carry out a specific function. Antibodies= aka immunoglobulins; proteins produced by the immune system in response to foreign molecules. Antibodies are y-shaped and have 2 identical binding sites for its antigen: each are complementary to a small portion on the antigen"s surface. Each antibody binds tightly to antigen and either inactivates it or marks it for destruction. Hydrolases= enzymes that catalyze a hydrolytic cleavage reaction. Nucleases= break down nucleic acids by hydrolyzing bonds between nucleotides. Proteases= break down proteins by hydrolyzing peptide bonds between amino acids.
