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Chapter 2: Problem 93

Insulin is a complex protein molecule produced by the pancreas in all vertebrates. It is a hormone that regulates carbohydrate metabolism. Inability to produce insulin results in diabetes mellitus. Diabetes is treated by injections of insulin. Given the law of definite proportion, would you expect there to be any differences in chemical activity between human insulin extracted from pancreatic tissue and human insulin produced by genetically engineered bacteria? Why or why not?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Based on the Law of Definite Proportion and the identical amino acid sequence, structure, and function of insulin from both human pancreatic tissue and genetically engineered bacteria, we can conclude that there should be no differences in chemical activity between the two types of insulin.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding the Law of Definite Proportion

The Law of Definite Proportion states that a given chemical compound always contains the same proportion of elements by mass, regardless of the source of the compound. This means that the ratio of the elements in a compound is always fixed.
02

Structure and Function of Insulin

Insulin is a protein, which is composed of amino acids linked together in a specific sequence. The sequence of amino acids determines the structure of the protein, which in turn determines its function. In the case of insulin, its function is to regulate carbohydrate metabolism by enabling cells to take up glucose from the blood.
03

Comparing Human Insulin from Different Sources

Insulin obtained from human pancreatic tissue has the same amino acid sequence as insulin produced by genetically engineered bacteria. This is because the genetic engineering process involves inserting the human insulin gene into bacteria, which then produce human insulin as a result. Since the amino acid sequence is identical in both cases, the structure and function of the insulin molecules should also be identical.
04

Applying the Law of Definite Proportion to Insulin

According to the Law of Definite Proportion, insulin from both sources should have an identical chemical composition, with the same proportion of elements by mass. This implies that there should be no differences in chemical activity between the two types of insulin, as they have the same structure and function.
05

Conclusion

Based on our understanding of the Law of Definite Proportion, and the fact that the amino acid sequence, structure, and function of insulin are identical between human insulin extracted from pancreatic tissue and human insulin produced by genetically engineered bacteria, we can conclude that there should be no differences in chemical activity between the two types of insulin.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Chemical Compound
Every chemical compound, according to the Law of Definite Proportion, contains elements in a fixed ratio by mass. This implies that whether a compound is derived from natural sources or synthesized artificially, its basic chemical composition remains consistent. When discussing insulin, which is a protein hormone, this principle means that the chemical structure, composed of elements like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur, remains the same in all insulin molecules. Therefore, whether insulin is extracted from the pancreas or made through genetic engineering, its elemental makeup should not differ, preserving its chemical properties and efficacy.
Protein Structure
The structure of a protein is crucial to its function. Proteins like insulin are composed of long chains of amino acids. The specific sequence of these amino acids, known as the primary structure, will determine how the protein folds into its secondary and tertiary structures. This three-dimensional form is critical because it dictates how the protein interacts with other molecules, fulfilling its role in biological processes. For insulin, this means correctly regulating blood glucose levels. Regardless of its source, genetically engineered or natural, if the amino acid sequence remains unchanged, the protein's structural integrity and function remain intact.
Genetic Engineering
Genetic engineering is a powerful tool that allows scientists to modify organisms to produce desired compounds. In the context of insulin production, the human insulin gene is inserted into bacterial DNA. These genetically modified bacteria then produce insulin that is chemically identical to that found naturally in humans. This approach allows for large-scale production of insulin, ensuring that the protein's structure and function are preserved. The engineering process ensures that the resulting insulin retains the exact sequence and behavior necessary for effective diabetes treatment.
Amino Acid Sequence
The amino acid sequence is the blueprint of a protein's function and structure. In proteins like insulin, this sequence dictates how the protein will fold and what shape it will take. Even the smallest change in this sequence can alter a protein's function, making the sequence itself critical. In genetic engineering, maintaining the exact sequence found in natural human insulin is crucial. Whether produced in pancreatic tissue or engineered bacteria, retaining the identical sequence ensures that the insulin produced is functionally and chemically indistinguishable, thus behaving uniformly in the body.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Write the formula for each of the following compounds: a. chromium(VI) oxide b. disulfur dichloride c. nickel(II) fluoride d. potassium hydrogen phosphate e. aluminum nitride f. ammonia g. manganese(IV) sulfide h. sodium dichromate i. ammonium sulfite j. carbon tetraiodide

An element's most stable ion forms an ionic compound with bromine, having the formula \(\mathrm{XBr}_{2}\) . If the ion of element \(\mathrm{X}\) has a mass number of 230 and has 86 electrons, what is the identity of the element, and how many neutrons does it have?

The designations 1A through 8A used for certain families of the periodic table are helpful for predicting the charges on ions in binary ionic compounds. In these compounds, the metals generally take on a positive charge equal to the family number, while the nonmetals take on a negative charge equal to the family number minus eight. Thus the compound between sodium and chlorine contains \(\mathrm{Na}^{+}\) ions and \(\mathrm{Cl}^{-}\) ions and has the formula NaCl. Predict the formula and the name of the binary compound formed from the following pairs of elements. a. Ca and N b. \(\mathrm{K}\) and \(\mathrm{O}\) c. \(\mathrm{Rb}\) and \(\mathrm{F}\) d. Mg and S e. Ba and I f. Al and Se g. \(\mathrm{Cs}\) and \(\mathrm{P}\) h. In and Br

Each of the following statements is true, but Dalton might have had trouble explaining some of them with his atomic theory. Give explanations for the following statements. a. The space-filling models for ethyl alcohol and dimethyl ether are shown below. These two compounds have the same composition by mass \((52 \% \text { carbon, } 13 \% \text { hydrogen, and } 35 \% \text { oxygen }),\) yet the two have different melting points, boiling points, and solubilities in water. b. Burning wood leaves an ash that is only a small fraction of the mass of the original wood. c. Atoms can be broken down into smaller particles. d. One sample of lithium hydride is 87.4\(\%\) lithium by mass, while another sample of lithium hydride is 74.9\(\%\) lithium by mass. However, the two samples have the same chemical properties.

Consider 80.0-g samples of two different compounds consisting of only carbon and oxygen. One of the compounds consists of 21.8 g of carbon, and the other has 34.3 g of carbon. Determine the ratio in whole numbers of the masses of carbon that combine with 1.00 g of oxygen between the two compounds.
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