Question: How can you tell a bacteria to form the shape of a protein?

Sandra Greive answered on 8 Mar 2017:

We use the bacteria’s natural protein making machinery (the ribosome) to make the protein. For this to work we have to give the bacteria the instructions or plan (the gene coding for the protein) on a special piece of DNA called a plasmid. In the culture media we feed the bacteria the raw materials go make the protein (amino acids and other nutrients). When there are enough healthy bacteria in the culture, we give them a chemical signal (similar to glucose) that tells them to start making the protein. The gene for the protein is copied or ‘transcribed’ by RNA polymerase into the message molecule (messenger RNA) which can be read or ‘translated’ into a string of amino acids connected in the right order by the ribosome. As the chain or string of amino acids comes out of the ribosome factory, the amino acids interact with each other in specific ways to ‘fold’ the chain into a sort of sphere with the correct shape and function. This folding process can be thought of as a similar process to folding a 3D magic snake puzzle.