Importance+of+Proteins

DNA is extremely important to an individual's body because it contains the gene information of an individual, as well as instructions on how to make certain proteins that the body needs. These proteins also play a major role. Proteins keep the body running and healthy. Some roles played by proteins include: -Building and repairing tissue -Enzymes (which help aid the body's natural processes) -Antibodies (which fight infection and disease in the body) -Hormones
 * __Background on Proteins__**

Protein synthesis (the making of proteins) happens before cells divide and occurs in a series of processes in the body: transcription and translation. The DNA first unwinds from its twisted form and opens up all of its nitrogen bases. __Transcription__: This process takes the information which is in the language of DNA and transforms it into the the process of mRNA, which is responsible for going out of the center of the cell (nucleus) to give the information for making the protein to the ribosome (where the final protein is made). __Translation:__ After the mRNA has exited the cell and gone into the ribosome, tRNA (transfer RNA) is responsible for bringing the right amino acids (what proteins are made out of) to the ribosome to put them together and make the certain protein. Once the code for the protein is figured out and everything is set into place, a new protein is made.
 * __How Proteins are Made__**

__**Protein Importance in Spinal Muscular Atrophy**__ The protein involved in this particular disorder is called the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. They are important in maintaining a type of specialized nerve cells called motor neurons, which control movement of muscles. There are two types of SMN proteins that are made by the body: SMN1 and SMN2, but only one works in each individual. Some cases of SMA disorder have too much of one of the protein, or are lacking enough of one.