Amino acids, proteins and prime numbers: The Greek language is dynamic and mysterious. Perhaps it is the only language in which there is such a complete identification of
signifier and signified. Amino acids are the building blocks of
proteins. The word “protein” is derived from the Greek word ”protos”
(which means “first”), i.e. the importance of proteins to the
structure and function of cells and organisms, is of high importance. Let’s see how
they relate to prime numbers. Based on their chemical formula 5 amino
acids have a molecular weight which is a prime number. Specifically:
Methionine 149, Alanine 89, Leucine 131, Isoleucine 131, Tyrosine 181. The
molecular weight of all the other amino acids is easily calculated and
there is no need to be listed in a table. Because the interesting fact
is not the molecular weights of individual amino acids, but the fact
that we can ”artificially” and very easily design peptides and proteins,
which have a total molecular weight of a prime number, either as a
simple sum of the molecular weights of the free aminoacids or when all
water molecules moving away are removed, multiplied by 18 (molecular
weight of water), or by other criteria. For example, we have the
heptapeptide: Methionine - Glycine - Tryptophan - Aspartic acid -
threonine - Glutamine - Cysteine. The sum of the molecular weights of
these amino acids in a free state is: 149 + 75 + 204 + 133 + 119 + 146 +
121 = 947 (prime number). Subtracting 6 x 18 = 108 (the water that is
removed by condensation), we now have 947-108 = 839 (prime number). If
we multiply the molecular weights of the amino acids to their
corresponding position in the chain, i.e., 1x149 + 2x75 + 3x204 + 4x133
+ 5x119 + 6x146 + 7x121 = 3761 (prime number). The above example is as
we said ”artificial”, while in the same way we can design a lot of
others, with less or more amino acids. The point here is what happens in ”real
conditions” with various proteins found in cells and organisms. Surely
the primate to a protein is its biological role, which is a function of
the information that exists in theDNA, and its organizational levels
(primary structure, secondary, tertiary, etc.) depending on this
information. At first glance, it may seem as a useless information
compared to prime numbers for that matter. I disagree with this point of
view, especially now, that Bioinformatics has had a great development
(in collaboration with the Proteomics course) and such studies and
calculations can be made easily and quickly. By the ”look” in this
direction, a fixed pattern for various biological data may possibly not
occur. Form of the protein chain in space, class or subclass of
proteins based on the functionality of e.g. catalytic proteins
(enzymes), etc. Some proteins that have specificity criterion,
compared with those who have not etc .. Or better yet, something
relative may occur to prime numbers in proteins with those present in
DNA, which we will see just below. It is known that a connection is
found between prime numbers and quantum physics, the mathematics of
Chaos (mathematics of unpredictability) etc. so it is not impossible to
find such a connection to Proteomics and Genomics. Besides the
innovative ideas do no harm and if anyone disagrees he can follow what a
philosopher said: ”Give me ideas to reject”. Moreover biology is an
exact science which follows the scientific method (observation,
experiment, etc.) where something wrong easily gets confuted.