INSULININSULIN

By Monica Landoni

Why is this protein useful?

• Regulator of blood glucose levels

• Hormone responsible of fattening

• Important role in protein synthesis

(new proteins are formed)

• Stimulates mitosis

• Insulin (AKA Peptide Hormone) was discovered in 1922 by Frederick Grant Banting and John James Richard Macleod

• Its first structure level consists of 51 amino acids that form two polypeptide chains

Secondary structure (simple 3D form)

A Chain BlueB Chain Red

Some of the joined amino acid coil to form short sections of alpha helix, which stabilizes the structure. Other amino acids give a turn to the amino acid chains so the overall structure is fairly compact.

Tertiary Structure and Quaternary Structure

• The structure is further stabilized by the appearance of disulphide bridges

• Insulin can form into granules consisting of hexamers due to interactions between hydrophobic surfaces.

Diabetes

If there’s a loss of insulin in the body, it will start to use fat as an energy source which can then affect other parts and functions of the body and

encourage diabetes.

• Type I Body completely without insulin. Patients are required to do regular insulin injections to control metabolism.

• Type II Sufferers are insulin resistant and/or have low production levels. Will require some form of meditation to control blood glucose levels in the body. Eventually they may require regular injection of insulin.

Bibliography

• "Levels of Proteinstructure, Exemplified by Insulin." Insulin. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2013.

• "So What Does Insulin Do?" Diabetes Forum and Blog Join To Discuss Diabetes Symptoms Treatments Diets and More RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2013.

• "Insulin." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 02 Feb. 2013.