How do proteins control the characteristics that are inherited ?Explain with the help of an example.
Answers
Segment of DNA is the information source for making proteins. Any defect in DNA alters the nature of protein and thus changes the characteristics.
·Example: Plants have hormone that can trigger growth. Plant height can thus depend on the amount of a particular plant hormone. The amount of plant hormone made will depend on the efficiency of the process for making it. And if an enzyme required for this process works efficiently a lot of hormone will be made and the plant will be tall. If the genes for that enzyme have an alteration that makes the enzyme less efficient, the amount of hormone will be less and the plant will be short.
Answered by | 25th Jul, 2017, 04:13: PM
Proteins do not directly control the characteristics that are inherited, but they play an important role in the process of gene expression. Gene expression refers to the process by which information encoded in DNA is used to produce proteins, which in turn govern the characteristics that are inherited.
- Proteins are synthesized by ribosomes, which read the genetic code in DNA and use it to synthesize proteins through a process called translation.
- Proteins can also act as transcription factors, which bind to specific DNA sequences and regulate the expression of genes by either activating or repressing them. In this way, proteins can control which genes are expressed and at what level, thereby influencing the characteristics that are inherited.
- For example, the protein insulin is synthesized by the pancreas and plays a critical role in regulating glucose metabolism. Insulin binds to specific receptors on cells throughout the body, triggering a cascade of signalling events that ultimately lead to the uptake and utilization of glucose.
- Mutations in the gene that encodes insulin can result in a dysfunctional protein, which can lead to diabetes, a condition characterized by high levels of glucose in the blood.
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