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protein

Protein makes up your nails, your hair, and the egg on your plate. This nitrogenous substance we call protein consists of chains of amino acids and is necessary for life functions.

The linguistic origins of protein — from the Greek proteios, meaning “first place” or “primary” — are fitting for a substance that is one of life’s chief components. Although protein is a word often heard in labs and biology classes, it has everyday context too, particularly in the kitchen. Protein-rich foods like eggs, cheese, meats, peanuts or beans are an essential part of good nutrition.

DEFINITIONS OF: protein

n any of a large group of nitrogenous organic compounds that are essential constituents of living cells; consist of polymers of amino acids; essential in the diet of animals for growth and for repair of tissues; can be obtained from meat and eggs and milk and legumes

“a diet high in protein”

Types:: show 100 types...; hide 100 types...; capsid
the outer covering of protein surrounding the nucleic acid of a virus; gluten
a protein substance that remains when starch is removed from cereal grains; gives cohesiveness to dough; recombinant protein
a protein derived from recombinant DNA; actomyosin
a protein complex in muscle fibers; composed of myosin and actin; shortens when stimulated and causes muscle contractions; aleurone
granular protein in outermost layer of endosperm of many seeds or cereal grains; amyloid
(pathology) a waxy translucent complex protein resembling starch that results from degeneration of tissue; apoenzyme
a protein that combines with a coenzyme to form an active enzyme; compound protein, conjugated protein
a protein complex combining amino acids with other substances; enzyme
any of several complex proteins that are produced by cells and act as catalysts in specific biochemical reactions; fibrin
a white insoluble fibrous protein formed by the action of thrombin on fibrinogen when blood clots; it forms a network that traps red cells and platelets; filaggrin
the main protein of the keratohyalin granules; growth factor
a protein that is involved in cell differentiation and growth; haptoglobin
a protein in plasma that binds free hemoglobin and removes it (as from wounds); iodinated protein, iodoprotein
a protein that contains iodine; nucleoprotein
any of several substances found in the nuclei of all living cells; consists of a protein bound to a nucleic acid; opsin
retinal protein formed by the action of light on rhodopsin; phosphoprotein
containing chemically bound phosphoric acid; plasma protein
any of the proteins in blood plasma; PSA, prostate specific antigen
a protein manufactured exclusively by the prostate gland; PSA is produced for the ejaculate where it liquifies the semen and allows sperm cells to swim freely; elevated levels of PSA in blood serum are associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer; proteome
the full complement of proteins produced by a particular genome; simple protein
a protein that yields only amino acids when hydrolyzed; cytokine
any of various protein molecules secreted by cells of the immune system that serve to regulate the immune system; ferritin
a protein containing 20% iron that is found in the intestines and liver and spleen; it is one of the chief forms in which iron is stored in the body; antibody
any of a large variety of proteins normally present in the body or produced in response to an antigen which it neutralizes, thus producing an immune response; corn gluten
gluten prepared from corn; wheat gluten
gluten prepared from wheat; ADA, adenosine deaminase
an enzyme found in mammals that can catalyze the deamination of adenosine into inosine and ammonia; actin
one of the proteins into which actomyosin can be split; can exist in either a globular or a fibrous form; albumen, albumin
a simple water-soluble protein found in many animal tissues and liquids; NGF, nerve growth factor
a protein that is involved in the growth of peripheral nerve cells; casein
a milk protein used in making e.g. plastics and adhesives; amylase
any of a group of proteins found in saliva and pancreatic juice and parts of plants; help convert starch to sugar; cholinesterase
an enzyme that hydrolyses acetylcholine (into choline and acetic acid); coagulase
an enzyme that induces coagulation; collagenase
any enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of collagen and gelatin; complement
one of a series of enzymes in the blood serum that are part of the immune response; TNF, tumor necrosis factor, tumour necrosis factor
a proinflammatory cytokine that is produced by white blood cells (monocytes and macrophages); has an antineoplastic effect but causes inflammation (as in rheumatoid arthritis); catalase
enzyme found in most plant and animal cells that functions as an oxidative catalyst; decomposes hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water; Cox, cyclooxygenase
either of two related enzymes that control the production of prostaglandins and are blocked by aspirin; decarboxylase
any of the enzymes that hydrolize the carboxyl group; de-iodinase
an enzyme that removes the iodine radical; disaccharidase
an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of disaccharides into monosaccharides; elastase
a pancreatic enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of elastin; enterokinase
enzyme in the intestinal juice that converts inactive trypsinogen into active trypsin; glycoprotein
a conjugated protein having a carbohydrate component; haemoprotein, hemoprotein
a conjugated protein linked to a compound of iron and porphyrin; histaminase
enzyme that acts as a catalyst in converting histidine to histamine; Hyazyme, hyaluronidase, spreading factor
an enzyme (trade name Hyazyme) that splits hyaluronic acid and so lowers its viscosity and increases the permeability of connective tissue and the absorption of fluids; thyroprotein
a preparation made from iodinated protein and having an action similar to thyroxine; thyroglobulin
an iodine containing protein that is obtained from the thyroid gland and exhibits the general properties of the globulins; isomerase
an enzyme that catalyzes its substrate to an isomeric form; kinase
an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of a proenzyme to an active enzyme; lipase
an enzyme secreted in the digestive tract that catalyzes the breakdown of fats into individual fatty acids that can be absorbed into the bloodstream; lipoprotein
a conjugated protein having a lipid component; the principal means for transporting lipids in the blood; lymphokine
a cytokine secreted by helper T cells in response to stimulation by antigens and that acts on other cells of the immune system (as by activating macrophages); lysozyme, muramidase
an enzyme found in saliva and sweat and tears that destroys the cell walls of certain bacteria; MAO, monoamine oxidase
an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of many body compounds (e.g., epinephrine and norepinephrine and serotonin); nitrogenase
an enzyme of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms that catalyzes the conversion of nitrogen to ammonia; nuclease
general term for enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of nucleic acid by cleaving chains of nucleotides into smaller units; oxidase
any of the enzymes that catalyze biological oxidation; oxidoreductase
an enzyme that catalyzes oxidation-reduction; papain
a proteolytic enzyme obtained from the unripe papaya; used as a meat tenderizer; beta-lactamase, penicillinase
enzyme produced by certain bacteria that inactivates penicillin and results in resistance to that antibiotic; pepsin
an enzyme produced in the stomach that splits proteins into peptones; pepsinogen
precursor of pepsin; stored in the stomach walls and converted to pepsin by hydrochloric acid in the stomach; phosphatase
any of a group of enzymes that act as a catalyst in the hydrolysis of organic phosphates; fibrinolysin, plasmin
an enzyme that dissolves the fibrin of blood clots; polymerase
an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of new DNA and RNA from an existing strand of DNA or RNA; peptidase, protease, proteinase, proteolytic enzyme
any enzyme that catalyzes the splitting of proteins into smaller peptide fractions and amino acids by a process known as proteolysis; reductase
an enzyme that catalyses the biochemical reduction of some specified substance; chymosin, rennin
an enzyme that occurs in gastric juice; causes milk to coagulate; secretase
a set of enzymes believed to snip pieces off a longer protein producing fragments of amyloid protein that bunch up and create amyloid protein plaques in brain tissue (the pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's); globulin
a family of proteins found in blood and milk and muscle and in plant seed; gamma globulin, human gamma globulin
a plasma protein containing the immunoglobulins that are responsible for immune responses; clotting factor, coagulation factor
any of the factors in the blood whose actions are essential for blood coagulation; globin, haematohiston, hematohiston
a colorless protein obtained by removing heme from hemoglobin; the oxygen carrying compound in red blood cells; glutelin
a simple protein found in the seeds of cereals; histone
a simple protein containing mainly basic amino acids; present in cell nuclei in association with nucleic acids; prolamine
a simple protein found in plants; protamine
a simple protein found in fish sperm; rich in arginine; simpler in composition than globulin or albumin; counteracts the anticoagulant effect of heparin; albuminoid, scleroprotein
a simple protein found in horny and cartilaginous tissues and in the lens of the eye; autoantibody
an antibody acting against tissues of the organism that produces it; precipitin
an antibody that causes precipitation when it unites with its antigen; ABO antibodies
blood type antibodies; Rh antibody
rhesus factor antibody; antitoxin
an antibody that can neutralize a specific toxin; agglutinin
an antibody that causes agglutination of a specific antigen; Forssman antibody, heterophil antibody, heterophile antibody
an antibody found in the blood of someone suffering from infectious mononucleosis; alloantibody, isoantibody
an antibody that occurs naturally against foreign tissues from a person of the same species; monoclonal, monoclonal antibody
any of a class of antibodies produced in the laboratory by a single clone of cells or a cell line and consisting of identical antibody molecules; opsonin
an antibody in blood serum that attaches to invading microorganisms and other antigens to make them more susceptible to the action of phagocytes; Ig, immune gamma globulin, immune globulin, immune serum globulin, immunoglobulin
a class of proteins produced in lymph tissue in vertebrates and that function as antibodies in the immune response; streptodornase
an enzyme produced by some hemolytic strains of streptococcus that dissolves fibrinous secretions from infections; used medicinally (often in combination with streptokinase); streptokinase
an enzyme produced by some strains of streptococcus that can liquefy blood clots by converting plasminogen to plasmin; used medicinally in some cases of myocardial infarction and pulmonary embolism; SOD, superoxide dismutase
an enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of superoxide into hydrogen peroxide and oxygen; telomerase
an enzyme in eukaryotic cells that can add telomeres to the ends of chromosomes after they divide; transferase
any of various enzymes that move a chemical group from one compound to another compound; trypsin
an enzyme of pancreatic origin; catalyzes the hydrolysis of proteins to smaller polypeptide units; urease
an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia; is present in intestinal bacteria; zymase
a complex of enzymes that cause glycolysis; originally found in yeast but also present in higher organisms

Type of:: macromolecule, supermolecule
any very large complex molecule; found only in plants and animals

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