Conjugated protein

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A conjugated protein is a protein that functions in interaction with other chemical groups attached by covalent bonds or by weak interactions.

Conjugated proteins are classified on the basis of the chemical nature of their prosthetic groups.

Many protein contain only amino acids and no other chemical groups and they are called simple proteins. However, other kind of proteins yield on hydrolysis some other chemical component in addition to amino acids and they are called conjugated proteins. The noamino part of a conjugated protein is usually called its prosthetic group. Some examples of conjugated proteins are lipoproteins, glycoproteins, phosphoproteins, hemoproteins, flavoproteins, metalloproteins, phytochromes, cytochromes and opsins.

Glycoproteins are generally the largest and most abundant group of conjugated proteins. They range from glycoproteins in cell surface membranes that constitute the glycocalyx, to important antibodies produced by leukocytes.