ABSTRACT
Proteins are among the most exquisite components of nature’s cellular machinery. Just 20 amino acids comprise the reservoir from which molecules can be constructed that perform such diverse functions as DNA replication, active transport of biological cargo, and structural scaffolding for the cell and organism. However, the amazing versatility of proteins comes at a cost, namely a requirement for exquisite fidelity in their synthesis. The deletion or misplacement of as few as one amino acid can render a protein dysfunctional
and have catastrophic consequences for the cell and organism. In order to assure their functionality, elegant mechanisms have evolved for the synthesis of proteins. These include the various regulatory elements and checkpoints that make up the DNA replication and protein synthesis pathways, ensuring that genes are faithfully replicated during cell division, and that proteins with the correct sequences and post-translational modifications are produced from the corresponding genes.
