Question

What is the difference between a polypeptide and a protein?

I'm not understanding this sentence in my textbook: "While the terms polypeptide and protein are sometimes used interchangeably, a polypeptide is technically a polymer of amino acids, whereas the term protein is used for a polypeptide or polypeptides that have combined together, often have bound non-peptide prosthetic groups, have a distinct shape, and have a unique function."

Answer 1

Proteins are the numerous large,complex naturally produced molecules composed of one or more long chains of amino acids, in which the amino acid groups are held together by peptide bonds.

The primary linkage of amino acids in proteins is called a peptide bond.

Many amino acids join together to create a polypeptide.

The long chain of connected amino acids is polypeptide.

Polypeptide is a protein polymer.

Protein is formed when one or many polypeptide chains fold into a specific shape that allows it to perform a specific function.

Polypeptide folds up into right shape and gives us a particular function, then we call it a protein.

The non protein component of a conjugated protein are called prosthetic groups.

So, the polypetides sometimes interacts with other proteins and prosthetic groups to form a PROTEIN.