Proteins don't generally 'know' anything, although there are exceptions to that rule which I'll come to in a bit. As you said, genes control the creation, activation and deactivation of proteins which is, in most basic terms, how life works.
Genes exist exclusively to code for the production of proteins from 20 essential amino acids, as well as a few extraneous molecules like rRNA (ribozyme molecules that have both nucleotides and protein components serving a functional purpose i.e. ribosomes). Responding to extraneous signals, (like hormones), genes will be activated to produce a set of proteins that have the cummulative effect needed. For instance, testosterone, estrogens, and progesterones (in both males and females) acts as such a transciption factor, basically going directly to the nucleus and causing enzymes like RNA transcriptase and helicase to start the process of protein construction.
These enzymes go out and, through basically random movement (like molecules in a liquid) they complete the task they are assigned, usually through sheer volume of reactant mass.
Most cell processes use a negative feedback mechanism, so, when this mass of proteins has reacted a specific chemical threshold of their substrates, the product, (like Adenosine MonoPhosphate for example) will, in turn, act as a transcription factor itself and turn off the previous gene.
Other stuff can happen too, for instance there are some proteins that are more permanent- like the ones in the cell membrane or in plasmids like mitochondria or chloroplasts. Sometimes, these proteins are turned on by the production of signalling agents from other proteins; in an indirect way - some cell membrane proteins, like ion channels in neurons are turned on by externa signals like neurotransmitter chemicals (i.e. acetylcholine, seratonin, dopamine etc.). Other proteins like acetylcholinesterase then create signal molecules for the other end of the communication line.
Basically, proteins are just functional molecules that facilitate a reaction. The actual thinking is done by feedback reactions in the nulceus working to turn on different genes that code for the appropriate protein.
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Proteins don't generally 'know' anything, although there are exceptions to that rule which I'll come to in a bit. As you said, genes control the creation, activation and deactivation of proteins which is, in most basic terms, how life works.
Genes exist exclusively to code for the production of proteins from 20 essential amino acids, as well as a few extraneous molecules like rRNA (ribozyme molecules that have both nucleotides and protein components serving a functional purpose i.e. ribosomes). Responding to extraneous signals, (like hormones), genes will be activated to produce a set of proteins that have the cummulative effect needed. For instance, testosterone, estrogens, and progesterones (in both males and females) acts as such a transciption factor, basically going directly to the nucleus and causing enzymes like RNA transcriptase and helicase to start the process of protein construction.
These enzymes go out and, through basically random movement (like molecules in a liquid) they complete the task they are assigned, usually through sheer volume of reactant mass.
Most cell processes use a negative feedback mechanism, so, when this mass of proteins has reacted a specific chemical threshold of their substrates, the product, (like Adenosine MonoPhosphate for example) will, in turn, act as a transcription factor itself and turn off the previous gene.
Other stuff can happen too, for instance there are some proteins that are more permanent- like the ones in the cell membrane or in plasmids like mitochondria or chloroplasts. Sometimes, these proteins are turned on by the production of signalling agents from other proteins; in an indirect way - some cell membrane proteins, like ion channels in neurons are turned on by externa signals like neurotransmitter chemicals (i.e. acetylcholine, seratonin, dopamine etc.). Other proteins like acetylcholinesterase then create signal molecules for the other end of the communication line.
Basically, proteins are just functional molecules that facilitate a reaction. The actual thinking is done by feedback reactions in the nulceus working to turn on different genes that code for the appropriate protein.