Biochemistry/Proteins

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Proteins are a primary constituent of living things and one of the chief classes of molecules studied in biochemistry. Proteins provide most of the molecular machinery of cells. Many are enzymes or subunits of enzymes. Other proteins play structural or mechanical roles, such as those that form the struts and joints of the cytoskeleton. Each protein molecule is an unbranched chain or polymer of aminoacids. Proteins are also nutrient sources for organisms that do not produce their own energy from sunlight and/or are unable to fix nitrogen.

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Index of chapters and main sections

1. Introduction
   1. Protein role in biology
   2. Proteins as polymers of aminoacids
   3. Protein function depends on structure
   4. Protein synthesis
2. The chemistry of proteins
   1. Aminoacid structure and chemistry
   2. Disulfide bonds
   3. Post-translational modifications
3. Protein structure and folding
   1. What is protein folding?
   2. Protein structural levels
   3. Secondary structure elements
   4. Tertiary structure elements
   5. Common folds and modules