PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER Meaning and
Definition
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A peptide transporter refers to a type of protein that plays a crucial role in the transportation of peptides across cell membranes. It is primarily responsible for facilitating the movement of peptides from one side of the membrane to the other, often against their concentration gradient.
Peptides are short chains of amino acids that are essential components of proteins. They are involved in various biological processes, including cell signaling, enzyme function, and immune response. However, due to their size and charge, peptides cannot freely cross the lipid bilayer of cell membranes. This is where peptide transporters come into play.
Peptide transporters are transmembrane proteins that span the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane. They possess binding sites that can recognize and selectively bind to specific peptides. Once bound, the transporter undergoes a conformational change, allowing the peptide to be transported across the membrane.
These transporters utilize energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) or the electrochemical gradient established by ions to drive the movement of peptides against their concentration gradient. They are crucial for the uptake of peptides from the extracellular environment into cells, as well as for the efflux of peptides from cells.
Peptide transporters are found in various tissues and cells throughout the body, including the intestines, kidneys, and brain. Their importance lies in their ability to regulate the availability of peptides within cells, allowing for essential processes such as protein synthesis, digestion, and cell signaling to occur appropriately. Dysfunction or dysregulation of peptide transporters can have significant implications for human health and may contribute to various diseases and disorders.
Common Misspellings for PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER
- oeptide transporter
- leptide transporter
- 0eptide transporter
- pwptide transporter
- psptide transporter
- pdptide transporter
- prptide transporter
- p4ptide transporter
- p3ptide transporter
- peotide transporter
- peltide transporter
- pe0tide transporter
- pepride transporter
- pepfide transporter
- pepgide transporter
- pepyide transporter
- pep6ide transporter
- pep5ide transporter
- peptude transporter
- peptjde transporter
Etymology of PEPTIDE TRANSPORTER
The word "peptide transporter" can be broken down into two main components: "peptide" and "transporter".
- Peptide: The term "peptide" is derived from the Greek word "peptos", which means "digestible" or "dissolvable". It originated from the verb "peptein", meaning "to digest". "Peptide" refers to a short chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. The word "peptide" was first used in the field of biochemistry in the early 20th century.
- Transporter: The term "transporter" comes from the verb "transport", derived from the Latin word "transportare", which means "to carry across". In the context of biology and biochemistry, a transporter refers to a protein or a class of proteins that facilitate the movement of molecules or ions across cellular membranes.
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