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Related Concept Videos

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity01:26

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity

Polymerization generates chiral centers along the entire backbone of a polymer chain. Accordingly, the stereochemistry of the substituent group has a significant effect on polymer properties. Polymers formed from monosubstituted alkene monomers feature chiral carbons at every alternate position in the polymer backbone. Relative to the predominant orientation of substituents at the adjacent chiral carbons, the polymer can exist in three different configurations: isotactic, syndiotactic, and...
Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers01:00

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers

Polymers that are made up of identical monomer units are called homopolymers. Only one repeating unit is involved in the construction of the homopolymer structure. For example, as depicted in Figure 1, polypropylene is a homopolymer constituted of propylene monomers. Here, the only repeating unit in the polymer chain is propylene.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Synthesis and Characterization of Self-Assembled Metal-Organic Framework Monolayers Using Polymer-Coated Particles
06:48

Synthesis and Characterization of Self-Assembled Metal-Organic Framework Monolayers Using Polymer-Coated Particles

Published on: June 14, 2024

Identifying polymer-forming SAM domains.

Alejandro D Meruelo1, James U Bowie

  • 1Medical Scientist Training Program, UCLA-DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095-1570, USA.

Proteins
|October 3, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Researchers identified a computational method to predict which sterile alpha motif (SAM) domains form polymers. This discovery aids in understanding the function of these common protein modules in eukaryotic cells.

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Antifouling Self-assembled Monolayers on Microelectrodes for Patterning Biomolecules
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Last Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Synthesis and Characterization of Self-Assembled Metal-Organic Framework Monolayers Using Polymer-Coated Particles
06:48

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Published on: June 14, 2024

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Antifouling Self-assembled Monolayers on Microelectrodes for Patterning Biomolecules
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Antifouling Self-assembled Monolayers on Microelectrodes for Patterning Biomolecules

Published on: August 25, 2009

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Bioinformatics

Background:

  • Sterile alpha motif (SAM) domains are prevalent protein modules in eukaryotic cells.
  • The diverse functions of uncharacterized SAM domains, including protein-protein interactions and RNA binding, hinder functional assignment.
  • Identifying specific subclasses of SAM domains is crucial for understanding their roles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To computationally identify members of the SAM domain subclass that form polymers.
  • To develop a method for predicting SAM domain polymerization based on sequence and structure compatibility.
  • To screen a large set of SAM domain sequences for potential polymer-forming members.

Main Methods:

  • Virtual threading of SAM domain sequences onto known polymer structures.
  • Evaluation of sequence compatibility with polymer structures using a scoring system.
  • Development of a threshold value to distinguish between polymerizing and non-polymerizing SAM domains.

Main Results:

  • Known polymerizing SAM domains consistently scored higher than non-polymerizing ones.
  • 100% of known SAM polymers and only 8% of known non-polymers met the defined threshold.
  • Out of 2901 SAM family members analyzed, 694 were predicted to be likely polymers.

Conclusions:

  • The computational method effectively distinguishes polymer-forming SAM domains.
  • This approach facilitates the functional annotation of numerous uncharacterized SAM domains.
  • Identified potential polymerizing SAM domains in key proteins like Lethal Malignant Brain Tumor and Adenylate Cyclase offer new avenues for research.