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Post Translational Modifications definitions

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  • Post-translational Modification
    Chemical or structural changes to proteins after synthesis, altering their function, location, or stability to regulate gene expression.
  • Phosphorylation
    Attachment of phosphate groups to amino acids, often activating or deactivating proteins and influencing gene expression.
  • Ubiquitination
    Attachment of ubiquitin molecules to proteins, marking them for degradation and thus controlling protein levels in the cell.
  • Cleavage
    Proteolytic removal of protein segments, which can initiate signaling cascades or alter protein function dramatically.
  • Signal Sequence
    Short peptide motif within a protein that directs its transport to specific cellular compartments, such as the nucleus.
  • Chaperone Protein
    Molecule that assists in the correct folding of polypeptide chains, ensuring proper protein structure and function.
  • Kinase
    Enzyme responsible for adding phosphate groups to proteins, typically modulating their activity.
  • Phosphatase
    Enzyme that removes phosphate groups from proteins, often reversing the effects of kinases.
  • Nuclear Localization Signal
    Amino acid sequence within a protein that targets it for import into the nucleus, crucial for nuclear protein function.
  • Protein Degradation
    Process by which proteins are broken down, often following ubiquitination, to regulate cellular protein levels.
  • Polypeptide Chain
    Linear sequence of amino acids that folds into a functional protein, subject to various post-translational modifications.
  • Substrate
    Molecule upon which enzymes such as kinases or ubiquitin ligases act during post-translational modifications.
  • Gene Expression
    Overall process by which genetic information is used to synthesize functional proteins, modulated at multiple levels including post-translation.
  • Phenotype
    Observable characteristics of an organism, which can be altered by changes in protein function due to post-translational modifications.