3 ms·
How is insulin a peptide? Insulin is a giant folded protein
by timcobb 2mo ago
How is insulin a peptide? Insulin is a giant folded protein
- Ekaros 2mo agoSeems like it is very much on the edge of categories thus fits both. And it really is not a giant as proteins go and instead is on smaller end.
- andsoitis 2mo agoInsulin is a peptide hormone. It is a small protein made of 51 amino acids in two chains linked by disulfide bonds.
- victorbjorklund 2mo agoProbably better people to explain it. First sentence on wiki ” Insulin (/ˈɪn.sjʊ.lɪn/ ⓘ;[5][6] from Latin insula 'island') is a peptide hormone produced by beta cells of the pancreatic islets encoded in humans by the insulin (INS) gene.”
- twic 1mo agoThe terminology is all a bit loose. Proteins are peptides, but we don't usually call them that. But when a hormone is a protein, rather than a small molecule, then we call it a "peptide hormone". I suppose because we're making a chemical point, that the hormone is in the family of peptides rather than steroids or eicosanoids or whatever? As you say, insulin is a fully fledged protein, albeit a small one, and i wouldn't call it a peptide myself. But then, insulin is 51 residues, whereas tirzepatide (Mounjaro) is 39; is that such a big difference? FWIW i think a lot of other "peptides" are even smaller, eg CJC-1295 is about 30 residues.
- jijji 1mo agopeptides (2-50 amino acids) are smaller than proteins (50+ amino acids)... it's impossible to call a complex protein a peptide, it fails to meet the definition.
- Urahandystar 1mo agoIs that an standard classification? It so simple I can't believe this is the first time I'm hearing it.