Protein People

(Below)This is showing a protein, specifically human p53 bound to DNA. This is an image I created for a powerpoint presentation on the p53 protein. Proteins are little creatures, little machines, that are the leperachauns that make life work. They are the active agents at the size of atoms and molecules in living things.

DNA is the Bible (I love using religious analogies in science, because it is ornery), each gene is a chapter on how to make a specific kind of protein. p53 is a protein that binds to the DNA Bible and activates the creation of certain kinds of protein people that are involved in either repairing DNA, or killing the cell. It does this when other protein people detect that portions of the DNA are damaged that could end up causing cancer.



each Protein Molecule is made up of a large number of atoms, but even still at the scale in the next post they'd be only roughly 10 centimeters accross. The DNA, which is the grey ladder in the picture, would be 2 centimeters wide. Does this give you an idea of scale. DNA vs. a penny, or an earthworm? Now you know and knowing is half the battle.\

(Above) Is the Protein/Chlorophyll machine involved in using sunlight, water molecules, and Carbon Dioxide molecules to create food, in the form of sugars.