|  | 
10-13-2008, 04:02 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Wales, UK | | | Maths/Biology buffs! just a quick question...
Sign in to disble this ad
I don't really understand the question that I've been given... anyone fancy helping me out? it seems to be something simple that I'm misinterpreting 
The enzyme RNAase is a protein containing 124 amino acids.
a) Assuming that there are 20 different amino acids involved in protein structure, how many different sorts of protein molecule could be made containing 124 amino acids?
It's just maths but I'm finding it incredible hard to work out what is going on... I mean I know what I've got to do, just not how to do it. I took the mechanics maths module instead of statistics and things like this throw me out completely
__________________
It's What I Got:
1983 Ricky 4003 (White)
1990s Ibanez Prestige Sr3006E
1988 Stingray 4
Trace Elliot GP12 SMX-300
Warwick Pro 411
|
10-13-2008, 04:37 PM
| | | | If I understand there are 124 elements in the chain, each of which can be any one of 20.
The first element could be any of 20. the next could be any of 20 making 20x20=20^2=400 ways of filling the first two elements.
Taking this to its conclusion that gives.
20x20x20x....x20 (124 times) = 20^124 = a VERY big number.
Of course that's me just doing the maths. I don't have a clue about the biology, so there could be other stuff going on I've missed. |
10-13-2008, 05:13 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: West Covina (LA), SoCal | | | Theres really no biology involved, its a math question, one of those "word problems" designed to trick you man!
__________________
Bassist for Starveya - www.reverbnation.com/starveya
Sat June 9th @ Shamrocks in Chino Hills - 10pm
Bassist - Veg#33, Buddhist#11, LGBT#5
|
10-13-2008, 08:06 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada | | | 2,13 x 10^161
__________________ Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Campbell  grand daddy used to say that the more he learned about people the better he liked horses | |
10-14-2008, 03:33 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Michigan | | | 20^124 |
10-14-2008, 05:13 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Finland, EU | | Quote:
Originally Posted by IanStephenson If I understand there are 124 elements in the chain, each of which can be any one of 20. The first element could be any of 20. the next could be any of 20 making 20x20=20^2=400 ways of filling the first two elements.. | Technically, as the first amino acid is always methionine, since it acts in the initiator complex you would get 1*20^123.. 
However, if this isn't for a molecular biology course, I suppose the answer the teacher is looking for is 20^124.
__________________
"..one day when someone comes up to you asking for advice you realize that it's never been the equipment at all." - Ken Rockwell, photographer
Last edited by Tsal : 10-14-2008 at 05:16 AM.
|
10-14-2008, 08:56 AM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Tsal Technically, as the first amino acid is always methionine, since it acts in the initiator complex you would get 1*20^123.. | that's EXACTLY why I was really cautious to qualify my answer. I _KNEW_ there would be a biology bit that I didn't know about.
:-) |
10-14-2008, 02:26 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Wales, UK | | thanks guys, perfect answers! 
__________________
It's What I Got:
1983 Ricky 4003 (White)
1990s Ibanez Prestige Sr3006E
1988 Stingray 4
Trace Elliot GP12 SMX-300
Warwick Pro 411
|
10-14-2008, 02:29 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: West Covina (LA), SoCal | | | Its a trick question, the answer is 4
__________________
Bassist for Starveya - www.reverbnation.com/starveya
Sat June 9th @ Shamrocks in Chino Hills - 10pm
Bassist - Veg#33, Buddhist#11, LGBT#5
|
10-14-2008, 02:47 PM
|  | The Lowdown Diggler | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, CA | | | 42 |
10-14-2008, 03:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: West Covina (LA), SoCal | | | Yeah, I meant 42
or 8, the answer is probably 8
__________________
Bassist for Starveya - www.reverbnation.com/starveya
Sat June 9th @ Shamrocks in Chino Hills - 10pm
Bassist - Veg#33, Buddhist#11, LGBT#5
|
10-14-2008, 03:17 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: West Side SA | | | Level 42
__________________
"The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear"
Mark Wilson is the greatest
|
10-14-2008, 03:25 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Newark, NJ | | Did you guys just totally miss that reference to one of the best novels ever!?
42 = The answer to life the universe and everything. |
10-14-2008, 03:32 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: West Covina (LA), SoCal | | | No, I was trying to throw him off... we can't have people running aound knowing the answer to life.
__________________
Bassist for Starveya - www.reverbnation.com/starveya
Sat June 9th @ Shamrocks in Chino Hills - 10pm
Bassist - Veg#33, Buddhist#11, LGBT#5
|
10-14-2008, 07:54 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2008 Location: Mission Viejo, CA | | | When all else fails use a bigger hammer.
so the answer is:
hammer^124/mitochondria
__________________ Quote:
Why is that Jazz Bass so aroused? What have you been doing to it?
-Djembe
| | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
Posting Rules
| You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off | | | |
