Suppose you were to model amplification by the phosphorylation cascade in Figure 11.16, using a penny for each kinase 1, a nickel for each kinase 2, and a dime for each kinase 3. Also suppose that Ras and each of the kinases can activate 10 proteins. How much money would you need to construct your model?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the number of each type of kinase at each step of the cascade. Since each kinase can activate 10 proteins, and there are 3 steps in the cascade, calculate the total number of kinases activated at each step. Start with 1 Ras activating 10 kinase 1, each kinase 1 activates 10 kinase 2, and each kinase 2 activates 10 kinase 3.
2. Calculate the total number of kinase 1, kinase 2, and kinase 3. Kinase 1: 10, Kinase 2: 10 x 10 = 100, Kinase 3: 10 x 100 = 1000.
3. Determine the monetary value of each type of kinase. Use a penny (1 cent) for each kinase 1, a nickel (5 cents) for each kinase 2, and a dime (10 cents) for each kinase 3.
4. Calculate the total cost for each type of kinase. Cost for kinase 1: 10 pennies = 10 cents, Cost for kinase 2: 100 nickels = 100 x 5 = 500 cents, Cost for kinase 3: 1000 dimes = 1000 x 10 = 10000 cents.
5. Add up the total cost for all kinases to find out how much money you would need for the model. Total cost = 10 cents (kinase 1) + 500 cents (kinase 2) + 10000 cents (kinase 3) = 10510 cents or $105.10.

Key Concepts

Phosphorylation Cascade

A phosphorylation cascade is a series of biochemical events where one enzyme phosphorylates another, leading to a chain reaction that amplifies a signal within a cell. This process is crucial in cellular signaling pathways, allowing a small initial signal to produce a large response, often involving multiple kinases that sequentially activate each other.

Kinases

Kinases are enzymes that catalyze the transfer of phosphate groups from high-energy molecules, like ATP, to specific substrates, typically proteins. This phosphorylation can alter the activity, localization, or function of the target proteins, playing a vital role in regulating various cellular processes, including metabolism, cell division, and signal transduction.

Signal Amplification

Signal amplification refers to the process by which a small initial signal is greatly increased through a series of biochemical reactions, often involving kinases and other signaling molecules. In the context of the phosphorylation cascade, each activated kinase can trigger the activation of multiple downstream proteins, resulting in a significant enhancement of the cellular response to the original signal.