One-gene-one-polypeptide hypothesis explained simply

It's a polypeptide

• A polypeptide is nothing more than a very small protein or some kind of preform of the protein. Proteins are made up of chains of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds.
• Proteins differ depending on the number of amino acids that are linked together. A dipeptide consists of 2 amino acids, a tripeptide of three amino acids and a polypeptide of up to 100 amino acids. A full protein has more than 100 amino acids.
• Proteins fulfill vital tasks in the organism and in the cells, for example during metabolism by enzymes. Their functionality is based on their specific folding, which in turn is determined by the sequence of the amino acids in the polypeptide chain.

The one gene, one polypeptide hypothesis

You have learned what a polypeptide is and that proteins have vital functions. You will now find out how the one-gene-one polypeptide hypothesis comes about.

• The one-gene-one-polypeptide hypothesis was originally called the one-gene-one-enzyme hypothesis. This is justified by the fact that many metabolic processes consist of several reactions, each of which is catalyzed by a specific enzyme (a type of protein). Each enzyme is determined in its functionality by a specific "blueprint" of the DNA, i. H. by a specific sequence of a polypeptide chain that is synthesized during protein synthesis, i.e., to be precise, by a specific section on the DNA.


From genetic information to protein - the route simply explained

All the characteristics of an organism are stored in its genetic information. Each ...

• According to the one-gene-one-polypeptide hypothesis, such a DNA segment is called a "gene".
• In later research it was found that genes are not just polypeptides and proteins in the form of enzymes encode, but also polypeptides and proteins, for example as structural proteins or receptor proteins act. Because of this, the one-gene-one-enzyme hypothesis was renamed the one-gene-one polypeptide hypothesis.
• Characteristics of an organism are often formed by the effects of different, related metabolic processes. These are therefore the result of the action of several genes.