MKE – Week 4 (Year 2) – ‘What’s your peptide?’

This song entered my mind when I thought about our ‘old friend, peptide.’ So, do you completely understand what peptides are…….? Let’s take a look at them real quick.

Peptides are naturally occurring biological molecules. Peptides are found in all living organisms and play a key role in all manner of biological activity. Like proteins, peptides are formed (synthesized) naturally from transcription of a sequence of the genetic code, DNA. Transcription is the biological process of copying a specific DNA gene sequence into a messenger molecule, mRNA, which then carries the code for a given peptide or protein. Reading from the mRNA, a chain of amino acids is joined together by peptide bonds to form a single molecule.

There are 20 naturally-occurring amino acids and, like letters into words, they can be combined into an immense variety of different molecules. When a molecule consists of 2-50 amino acids it is called a peptide, whereas a larger chain of > 50 amino acids generally is referred to as a protein.

In the human body, peptides are found in every cell and tissue and perform a wide range of essential functions. Maintenance of appropriate concentration and activity levels of peptides is necessary to achieve homeostasis and maintain health.

The function that a peptide carries out is dependent on the types of amino acids involved in the chain and their sequence, as well as the specific shape of the peptide. Peptides often act as hormones and thus constitute biologic messengers carrying information from one tissue through the blood to another.

Peptides primarily creates a biological effect by binding to cell surface receptors. For a peptide to exert its effect, it needs to bind to a receptor specific for that peptide and which is located in the membrane of relevant cells. A receptor penetrates the cell membrane and consists of an extracellular domain where the peptide binds, and an intracellular domain through which the peptide exerts its function upon binding and activation of the receptor. – Zealand Pharma

How many of you found yourself this week being aware of our peptides, and how we can control them? I did. I have the choice to chose how I want to react to something regardless of how our peptides are bouncing around inside.

I was at a car wash, and as I was sitting there waiting for my car to be finished. I found myself in a quiet state within my mind, looking around, watching people exchange words, staying to themselves, not engaging. I noticed that I had a permanent smile on my face, and it was natural. It felt great! I was so proud of myself! We have the power to make ourselves inviting or not. Small simple gestures like smiling, nodding, waving, winking are just a few ways of engaging people. We can make the exchange positive or negative. We choose!! If we continue to choose being sad, grumpy, uninviting, then that’s what we are going to receive. We put it out to the universe! The universe will sling back, like a boomerang, what we will get back!