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6. How many different proteins, 15 amino acids long, could you make given an unlimited number

of each of the 20 amino acids?

1 Answer

1 vote

Answer:

3816543

Step-by-step explanation:

20^15 or 3.28. 10^19

That is roughly equivalent to 4.3 billion times the world population today (in just 20 amino acids). The beauty of proteins is their complexity and seemingly infinite possible permutations. Moreover, a single polypeptide chain can have many different tertiary structures. Polypeptide chains can then join together to form quaternary structures. Among these proteins can be an antibody for ovarian cancer, an antimalaria haemoglobin or a antitoxin for heavy metals. There are just so many proteins we do not know yet.

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