This week’s #STEMsigns are protein and enzyme. You may be able to catch a few bonus words like cell, DNA, transcription, and mitochondria.
*Signs shown on #STEMsigns are seen and used by the community and are not created by Atomic Hands. We encourage you to evaluate the sign and adopt or discard it; or develop a new sign!
Transcript: This week’s #STEMsigns are enzyme and protein! When we think about what is happening in our body, first we have to think down to the microscopic level of cells. Inside every cell, there are many things happening at the same time. New DNA is being transcribed, mitochondria is producing ATP, waste is being degraded. Proteins are made up of a chain of amino acids that then fold into a specific shape. These proteins are then functional and allow our bodies to continue operating. Proteins do most of the work in cells and are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs. One type of protein is an enzyme. An enzyme is a molecule that will speed up the reaction that occurs within cells. There are many different kinds of enzymes with many different roles. Presence of an enzyme allows a reaction to happen whether it is breaking down a large molecule or binding two molecules together to make a new molecule. But it is important to recognize that transcription of DNA, the production of ATP, and waste collection all rely on proteins!
