Class Set Instructions – Do not write on this sheet!

What are PROTEINS?

Proteins provide structure and support for living organisms, and are found in many types of foods, such as meat, eggs, milk, rice, and beans. Proteins are made up of a chain of monomers called amino acids. The picture to the right is a protein, and the circles represent amino acids. Our bodies need 20 different amino acids in order to make up all the different proteins required to keep us healthy. The amino acids combine in different order in different proteins because the order of the amino acids affects the structure and job of the protein. There are many types of proteins in our body. In this activity, you will create beaded chains that represent this important macromolecule!

Procedure

  1. Read through the first protein description on your worksheet.
  2. Fill in the color of beads needed for each of the amino acids of the protein using the chart below.
  3. Get a piece of string and the beads you need and make each protein.
  4. Repeat 1-3 for each of the proteins listed on your worksheet.
  5. Answer questions 1-7 on your worksheet.
  6. Put your string and your beads back into the correct containers. Turn in your worksheet and place these instructions in the middle of your table.

Table 1. List of Beads and Amino Acids
Arginine / Alanine / Asparganine / Aspartic Acid
Red / Orange / Yellow-Orange / Yellow
Cysteine / Glutamic Acid / Glutamine / Glycine
Green / Light Green / Dark Blue / Blue
Histidine / Isoleucine / Leucine / Lysine
Light Blue / Purple / Hot Pink / Light Pink
Methionine / Phenylalanine / Proline / Serine
White / Black / Silver / Metallic Blue
Threonine / Tryptophan / Tyrosine / Valine
Metallic Green / Metallic Teal / Metallic Purple / Brown

NamePeriod

Act Now: This chain represents enzymes, which are proteins that catalyzethousands of chemical reactions in our cells.

Amino Acid / Threonine / Tyrosine / Tyrosine / Lysine / Proline / Methionine / Methionine
Bead

support: This represents keratin, which is a protein that gives structure orsupport to our fingernails and toenails.

Amino Acid / Phenylalanine / Serine / Aspartic Acid / Cysteine / Glutamic Acid / Glutamic Acid / Valine
Bead

breathe: This represents hemoglobin, which is a protein located on our redblood cells. It helps transport oxygen throughout our body.

Amino Acid / Asparanine / Histidine / Serine / Serine / Histidine / Histidine / Asparanine
Bead

Health:Thisrepresents antibodies, which are proteins that help the bodyfight off disease.

Amino Acid / Lysine / Isoleucine / Glutamine / Tyrosine / Arginine / Threonine / Proline
Bead

Journey: This represents hormones, which are proteins that travelthroughout our body to help regulate metabolism.

Amino Acid / Alanine / Serine / Pheylalanine / Threonine / Arginine / Glutamine / Glycine
Bead

Strength: Thisrepresents actin, which is a protein that helps musclescontract.

Amino Acid / Asparganine / Histidine / Phenylalanine / Alanine / Isoleucine / Histidine / Asparginine
Bead
  1. Proteins are large molecules (polymers) made up of smaller subunits(monomers) called ______.
  2. Consumers get the amino acids necessary to build proteins from their diet. What kind of food do we get amino acids from?
  1. How many different amino acids are there?
  2. The amount possible proteinsis exponential, with a value of approximately 2050,000 proteins, a tremendous number. How is it possible to have so many different proteins when there are so few different amino acids?
  1. How are your six protein chains different from each other?
  1. You know from reading “The Blue People of Troublesome Creek” article that proteins control traits. List three of the proteins you built and describe the trait it controls.
  1. Normal hemoglobin has 146 amino acids with a glutamic acid as the sixth amino acid in the chain. Sickle cell hemoglobin has the same number of amino acids, but had valine as the sixth amino acid in the chain. The Sickle cell hemoglobin is dysfunctional and is not able to carry oxygen like a normal hemoglobin protein. What does this tell you about the order of amino acids that make up a protein?