With Gigi Zarrehparvar, Cooper Hochman, and Jackson Roberts
In this project, we were given the task of researching a chosen disease to show how protein synthesis causes it. We were given seven questions that we had to answer in detail. The seven questions can be found by clicking the button below. We chose to research Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, a neurodegenerative disease that is invariably fatal. We elected to make to explain our findings in a short video explaining what CJD is and how prions (the protein involved in the disease) cause it. Watch the video below to learn more. You can also click the button below the video to view our research.
Main Concepts
Protein Synthesis: the process of the creation of proteins (DNA-->RNA-->Protein)
Codon: a sequence of three nucleotides that form a unit of genetic code in a DNA or mRNA molecule. The codon that creates a prion, the disease that causes CJD, is still unknown.
Anti-codon: a sequence of three nucleotides that form a unit of genetic code in a tRNA, or transfer RNA. The anticodon is complementary to the codon from the mRNA, or messenger RNA. Like the codon, the anticodon for prions is unknown.
Polymerase: an enzyme that causes a particular polymer to form, especially DNA or RNA.
Polypeptide Chain: make up a protein and are made up of several polypeptides which are made up of amino acids in protein synthesis. For CJD it is possible that the cause of the disease lies in the formation of the polypeptide chains that make up the protein.
Protein: made up of polypeptide chains. Proteins perform many functions that are crucial to support life. Proteins transport materials throughout your body, speed up chemical processes, and helps build bones and muscle. The protein affected by CJD is called a prion. Prions are unique proteins that have infectious qualities. What sets them apart from most other proteins is that there is no DNA in prions, so technically prions are not alive. This makes CJD very dangerous and almost impossible to treat.
Transcription: the first step in protein synthesis, occurring in the cell's nucleus. In this step, DNA is transcribed to mRNA which carries the genetic information necessary for protein synthesis. This copy leaves the nucleus and goes into the cytoplasm. Since prions do not contain DNA, this step has nothing to do with CJD.
Translation: occurs in the cytoplasm of a cell. In this step, the sequence of an mRNA molecule is translated to an amino acid. Ribosomes in the cytoplasm read the sequence of the mRNA in groups of three to assemble the protein along with the tRNA, or transfer RNA, which brings amino acids to the ribosomes for protein assembly.
DNA: is split into RNA in the transcription phase of protein synthesis. Strangely, the protein involved in CJD does not contain DNA.
mRNA: brings genetic information to ribosomes in the cytoplasm. The mRNA is critical for protein synthesis. Since there is no DNA in prions, we can assume, however, that they are formed in some other way.
tRNA: brings amino acids to the ribosomes in the cytoplasm in order for proteins to be assembled. With no DNA being present in prions, tRNA has little to do with our specific project.
Protein Folding: the process by which a protein structure assumes its functional shape or conformation
Primary Structure: linear amino acid sequence, determines native conformation. The amino acid is not as important as the sequence, but they both play a part in what shape the protein will eventually take. Like many other topics mentioned, the connection between this and prions in not known.
Secondary Structure: protein begins to fold into alpha helixes or beta sheets rapidly due to stabilization from hydrogen bonds.
Alpha Helix: formed by hydrogen bonding of the longest series of covalently bonded atoms in a polymer (backbone) to form a spiral shape.
Beta Sheets: formed by the backbone bending over itself creating a flatter sheet.
Tertiary Structure: the alpha helixes and beta sheets can contain a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion. This affects the tertiary structure because the hydrophilic parts will be facing wherever there is water and the hydrophobic parts will form a sort of core.
Quaternary Structure: (only happens in some proteins). In this step, other polypeptide chains combine with the existing one to create the quaternary structure.
Codon: a sequence of three nucleotides that form a unit of genetic code in a DNA or mRNA molecule. The codon that creates a prion, the disease that causes CJD, is still unknown.
Anti-codon: a sequence of three nucleotides that form a unit of genetic code in a tRNA, or transfer RNA. The anticodon is complementary to the codon from the mRNA, or messenger RNA. Like the codon, the anticodon for prions is unknown.
Polymerase: an enzyme that causes a particular polymer to form, especially DNA or RNA.
Polypeptide Chain: make up a protein and are made up of several polypeptides which are made up of amino acids in protein synthesis. For CJD it is possible that the cause of the disease lies in the formation of the polypeptide chains that make up the protein.
Protein: made up of polypeptide chains. Proteins perform many functions that are crucial to support life. Proteins transport materials throughout your body, speed up chemical processes, and helps build bones and muscle. The protein affected by CJD is called a prion. Prions are unique proteins that have infectious qualities. What sets them apart from most other proteins is that there is no DNA in prions, so technically prions are not alive. This makes CJD very dangerous and almost impossible to treat.
Transcription: the first step in protein synthesis, occurring in the cell's nucleus. In this step, DNA is transcribed to mRNA which carries the genetic information necessary for protein synthesis. This copy leaves the nucleus and goes into the cytoplasm. Since prions do not contain DNA, this step has nothing to do with CJD.
Translation: occurs in the cytoplasm of a cell. In this step, the sequence of an mRNA molecule is translated to an amino acid. Ribosomes in the cytoplasm read the sequence of the mRNA in groups of three to assemble the protein along with the tRNA, or transfer RNA, which brings amino acids to the ribosomes for protein assembly.
DNA: is split into RNA in the transcription phase of protein synthesis. Strangely, the protein involved in CJD does not contain DNA.
mRNA: brings genetic information to ribosomes in the cytoplasm. The mRNA is critical for protein synthesis. Since there is no DNA in prions, we can assume, however, that they are formed in some other way.
tRNA: brings amino acids to the ribosomes in the cytoplasm in order for proteins to be assembled. With no DNA being present in prions, tRNA has little to do with our specific project.
Protein Folding: the process by which a protein structure assumes its functional shape or conformation
Primary Structure: linear amino acid sequence, determines native conformation. The amino acid is not as important as the sequence, but they both play a part in what shape the protein will eventually take. Like many other topics mentioned, the connection between this and prions in not known.
Secondary Structure: protein begins to fold into alpha helixes or beta sheets rapidly due to stabilization from hydrogen bonds.
Alpha Helix: formed by hydrogen bonding of the longest series of covalently bonded atoms in a polymer (backbone) to form a spiral shape.
Beta Sheets: formed by the backbone bending over itself creating a flatter sheet.
Tertiary Structure: the alpha helixes and beta sheets can contain a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion. This affects the tertiary structure because the hydrophilic parts will be facing wherever there is water and the hydrophobic parts will form a sort of core.
Quaternary Structure: (only happens in some proteins). In this step, other polypeptide chains combine with the existing one to create the quaternary structure.
Reflection
I had a great time working on this project. I feel like I worked well with my group and I stayed on task throughout the project. I delegated tasks between my teammates efficiently and did my part with no distraction. With that being said, I should have done better listening to my teammates' ideas and implementing them into my own. I tended to be kind of a control freak and I did not listen to my team when I should have. I also should have done better keeping the rest of my group on task. I feel like I should have been a better leader in the sense of encouraging my team to stay on task and be productive. All in all I think my group and I worked quite well together and I learned a lot and improved on a ton of skills.