How Does Protein Synthesis Contribute to Biological Function?

The synthesis, engineering, and assembly of biological components form the foundation of synthetic biology. Since proteins are responsible for most biological functions and chemical reactions within cells, they are the first components to be considered for systems with designed biological functions. Understanding protein synthesis is essential in studying several medical fields like clinical lab reagents, recombinant proteins as drugs, and the molecular basis of genetic diseases.

The hierarchical structure of synthetic biology comprises several levels, with protein synthesis being the most fundamental. The central role of protein synthesis is to generate high-purity target proteins. These proteins play a crucial role in different biological processes. Without them, the cells will not do their job, and the body will not function.

Sometimes it takes more work to make high-quality proteins. While the process is challenging, the emergence of commercial protein expression services has made the process much easier. This article looks at how protein synthesis contributes to biological functions.

What is protein synthesis?

This is the creation of proteins that allows the function and structure of cells based on their DNA genetic information. It entails creating protein molecules, which can occur inside the cell in biological systems. Protein synthesis in biology aims to create a polypeptide, a protein made from a chain of amino acids. During protein synthesis, cells use DNA, RNA, and various enzymes to create proteins. The essential processes in Custom Protein Synthesis are transcription, translation, and post-translation processes like protein folding, modifications, and proteolysis.

Clinical significance of protein synthesis

The clinical significance of protein synthesis lies in translation differences between humans and bacteria. This translation allows antibiotics to bind selectively to bacterial ribosomes to inhibit the growth of a microbe. These clinical manifestations are also useful in diagnosis.

Translation entails the synthesis of RNA from a DNA template by adding ribonucleotides to a primer's 3' hydroxyl end. DNA is used as a blueprint to make a messenger RNA molecule during the process. This molecule moves from the nucleus to the ribosome in the cytoplasm to facilitate transportation. The translation process involves reading the genetic code in mRNA and using it to make a polypeptide.

During translation, the ribosomes read the mRNA and tell the tRNA molecule to get the building blocks of proteins or amino acids. They will then string together amino acids using instructions in the mRNA to fold the protein into a functional shape.

In molecular biology, transcription entails transferring genetic instructions from DNA. It starts when the RNA polymerase enzyme binds to a gene known as a promoter sequence and reads the DNA bases by signaling the DNA to unwind. The DNA unwinds, RNA polymerase binds, and the enzyme moves along the DNA, adding nucleotides to the growing mRNA strand. When making mRNA, complementary base pairing between the template strand of DNA and the strand of DNA being used as a template is essential.

The three most important types of RNA in protein synthesis are messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). The ribosome converts genetic information from nucleic acids into the polypeptides required for cellular function during protein biosynthesis. The copy of DNA called mRNA is another molecule that holds information in the cell. During transcription, RNA polymerase copies DNA to mRNA, sending it to a compartment of a cell called a Ribosome.

Role of protein synthesis in biological functions

Given the widespread use of antibacterial antibiotics, protein synthesis has long been used in developing antimicrobial agents. However, because fungi are eukaryotic rather than prokaryotic, applying this concept to antifungal therapy is not simple.

The retinoblastoma protein is responsible for controlling the frequency of cell division in the body. If the cells divide out of control, you risk getting cancer. In radiation biology, protein synthesis inhibitors investigate the connection between protein synthesis and the physiological manifestation of radiation damage.

During protein synthesis, protein-coding sequences are cloned into an appropriate expression vector, and then host cells are modified to express the recombinant protein. Several factors, such as the number and status of ribosome aggregation, the rate of beginning of peptide synthesis, and the rate of transcription of particular genes, affect how quickly proteins are produced.

Protein supplementation can also prevent sarcopenia because amino acid and essential amino acid intake directly stimulate muscle protein synthesis. This antibiotic interferes with the formation of peptide bonds by attaching to the large ribosomal subunit.

Custom protein synthesis

There has been an increased demand for proteins created through recombinant DNA technology. Recent advances in recombinant DNA have completely altered the landscape of industrial protein production. Today, synthetic peptides remain one of the few pharmaceutical products routinely used in cutting-edge biotechnology research and therapeutics.

Usually, different protein production methods are required to obtain high-quality target proteins for a wide range of downstream applications and protein properties. Multiple methods, such as affinity purification, western blotting, and in vitro functional testing, help understand how proteins influence cellular function. In recent years, synthetic biology has emerged as a promising new field that bridges the gap between engineering and biology.

Cell-free protein synthesis allows for the quick production of protein molecules from various genetic information sources while avoiding many limitations of cell-based systems. Some companies can scale up production and produce quality products in bulk. These manufacturers will express and purify the protein while making necessary adjustments to meet the specifications.

Bottom line

Proteins are responsible for all structures and functions of cells. The primary process by which amino acids are disposed of is protein synthesis. To be assembled by ribosomes into a precise sequence, amino acids must first bind to specific molecules of transfer RNA, which are then synthesized from the DNA template by messenger RNA. Peptide Synthesis companies and academic institutions are now investing in researching more refined synthesis techniques that produce cleaner and safer end products.