PROTEIN

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does protein mean? 

• PROTEIN (noun)
  The noun PROTEIN has 1 sense:

1. any of a large group of nitrogenous organic compounds that are essential constituents of living cells; consist of polymers of amino acids; essential in the diet of animals for growth and for repair of tissues; can be obtained from meat and eggs and milk and legumes

  Familiarity information: PROTEIN used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROTEIN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of a large group of nitrogenous organic compounds that are essential constituents of living cells; consist of polymers of amino acids; essential in the diet of animals for growth and for repair of tissues; can be obtained from meat and eggs and milk and legumes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Context example:

a diet high in protein

Hypernyms ("protein" is a kind of...):

macromolecule; supermolecule (any very large complex molecule; found only in plants and animals)

Meronyms (substance of "protein"):

amino acid; aminoalkanoic acid (organic compounds containing an amino group and a carboxylic acid group)

polypeptide (a peptide containing 10 to more than 100 amino acids)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "protein"):

filaggrin (the main protein of the keratohyalin granules)

antibody (any of a large variety of proteins normally present in the body or produced in response to an antigen which it neutralizes, thus producing an immune response)

ferritin (a protein containing 20% iron that is found in the intestines and liver and spleen; it is one of the chief forms in which iron is stored in the body)

cytokine (any of various protein molecules secreted by cells of the immune system that serve to regulate the immune system)

simple protein (a protein that yields only amino acids when hydrolyzed)

proteome (the full complement of proteins produced by a particular genome)

prostate specific antigen; PSA (a protein manufactured exclusively by the prostate gland; PSA is produced for the ejaculate where it liquifies the semen and allows sperm cells to swim freely; elevated levels of PSA in blood serum are associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer)

plasma protein (any of the proteins in blood plasma)

phosphoprotein (containing chemically bound phosphoric acid)

opsin (retinal protein formed by the action of light on rhodopsin)

nucleoprotein (any of several substances found in the nuclei of all living cells; consists of a protein bound to a nucleic acid)

iodinated protein; iodoprotein (a protein that contains iodine)

haptoglobin (a protein in plasma that binds free hemoglobin and removes it (as from wounds))

growth factor (a protein that is involved in cell differentiation and growth)

capsid (the outer covering of protein surrounding the nucleic acid of a virus)

fibrin (a white insoluble fibrous protein formed by the action of thrombin on fibrinogen when blood clots; it forms a network that traps red cells and platelets)

enzyme (any of several complex proteins that are produced by cells and act as catalysts in specific biochemical reactions)

compound protein; conjugated protein (a protein complex combining amino acids with other substances)

apoenzyme (a protein that combines with a coenzyme to form an active enzyme)

amyloid ((pathology) a waxy translucent complex protein resembling starch that results from degeneration of tissue)

aleurone (granular protein in outermost layer of endosperm of many seeds or cereal grains)

actomyosin (a protein complex in muscle fibers; composed of myosin and actin; shortens when stimulated and causes muscle contractions)

recombinant protein (a protein derived from recombinant DNA)

gluten (a protein substance that remains when starch is removed from cereal grains; gives cohesiveness to dough)

Holonyms ("protein" is a substance of...):

milk (a white nutritious liquid secreted by mammals and used as food by human beings)

egg; eggs (oval reproductive body of a fowl (especially a hen) used as food)

legume (the seedpod of a leguminous plant (such as peas or beans or lentils))

meat (the flesh of animals (including fishes and birds and snails) used as food)

Derivation:

proteinaceous (relating to or of the nature of protein)

 Context examples 

The researchers used a new technology to measure 3,600 proteins in the blood of 3,300 people.

(Scientists create ‘genetic atlas’ of proteins in human blood, University of Cambridge)

Mekinist blocks certain proteins, which may help keep cancer cells from growing and may kill them.

(Mekinist, NCI Dictionary)

This allele, which encodes protein AATF, may be involved in both the suppression of apoptosis and transcriptional regulation.

(AATF wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This protein plays a role in the localization of protein kinase A.

(A-Kinase Anchor Protein 10, Mitochondrial, NCI Thesaurus)

Here, the protein ‘melts’ and releases the RNA.

(Mechanism behind neuron death in motor neurone disease and frontotemporal dementia discovered, University of Cambridge)

This allele, which encodes myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2B protein, plays a role in the modulation of transcription.

(MEF2B wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2A protein, is involved in both myogenesis and growth factor or stress-stimulated transcriptional regulation.

(MEF2A wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes ATP-binding cassette sub-family A member 5 protein, plays a role in both the binding and metabolism of ATP.

(ABCA5 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2C protein, is involved in the mediation of cardiac morphogenesis, muscle cell differentiation and vasculogenesis.

(MEF2C wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes myocyte-specific enhancer factor 2D protein, is involved in the modulation of transcription during muscle development and neuronal differentiation.

(MEF2D wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)