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Knowledge Thread |
Jabe
Joined: Nov 08, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Slovenia
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Of course it is a word, I was just trying to say that it is not as complicated as it seems at first. And there are plenty of proteins that have thousands of amino acids. I guess we have to find the largest protein and we'll have the longest english word  |
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scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: UK
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@Jabe
Apparently that is the longest, although one could still look; there may be a longer one.
"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC |
plasmadog
Joined: May 06, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Beantown, India
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beer is good.. and that is a fact! |
Jabe
Joined: Nov 08, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Slovenia
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It will be hard to find someone who will be 100% sure he knows the longest protein chain (not just protein, cos protein can be built of several chains and each chain would be one name) but in a human one of the longest is
Apolipoprotein B which is a one-chained protein built of 4536 amino acids. Supposedly this is very near the upper limit.
You can imagine why this one was given a generic name.
EDIT: If you think about it the longest word in english wouldn't have to end at all. It's true that there is the longest protein chain somewhere, but you can always add one more amino acid and the new word would still be an english word. It just wouldn't be a protein.
[ This Message was edited by: Jabe on 2004-09-20 22:10 ] |
scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
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From: UK
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@Jabe
Good point, although I would imagine that for a word to be recognised it would have to be able to be written, or at least spoken; an 'infinite' word doesn't really fit into that category.
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[ This Message was edited by: scotsboyuk on 2004-09-20 22:16 ] |
Jabe
Joined: Nov 08, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Slovenia
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Fair enough!
I've found another one:
Titin has 26926 amino acids in a single chain and is the largest known to date.
I guess my book that says 4536 is near the upper limit is out of date. 
[ This Message was edited by: Jabe on 2004-09-20 22:24 ] |
scotsboyuk
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
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From: UK
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@Jabe
You need to write it out in full before we can accept it in this thread. 
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"I may be drunk my dear woman, but in the morning I will be sober, and you will still be ugly." WSC
[ This Message was edited by: scotsboyuk on 2004-09-20 23:38 ] |
Jabe
Joined: Nov 08, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Slovenia
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As tempting as this sounds, I think I'll resist the urge |
methylated_spirit
Joined: Jul 07, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Bonnie Scotland
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Hmmmm, im not too sure that the amino acid thing should count, its not really a WORD, its a string of words. The lung disease is one word. Views? I could be wrong, im just desperately trying to cling on to my longest word claim.
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U.G.L.Y. You ain't got no alibi, you ugly! |
Jabe
Joined: Nov 08, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Slovenia
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@methylated_spirit
I'm sorry to dissapoint you again, but pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is actually a string of words, too.
pneumono - lungs
ultramicroscopic - really small particles
coniosis - inhalation
silicovolcano - type of dust
It amazes me that this is only one word in english, I think that in slovene we would use at least two (yet still both long ) words for this disease. But I'd use 3 (no so long anymore) words.
I agree, on the other hand, the proteins do seem like cheating.
[ This Message was edited by: Jabe on 2004-09-21 09:46 ] |
absinthebri
Joined: Feb 11, 2004
Posts: 476
From: London, UK
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@Jabe - You're right it's a string of words, not a single word. It's also a string of LATIN words.
This message was posted from a T68i |
mince-inside
Joined: May 09, 2004
Posts: 452
From: Made in Alnwick living in Scot
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It's all Greek to me - but what would I know?
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methylated_spirit
Joined: Jul 07, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: Bonnie Scotland
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Jabe: thats a good point, thanks for clarifying.
absinthe: its an ENGLISH word. MOST english words are derived from latin. Now go away, if you have nothing else to say on the matter. You have said it a thousand times.
Hello, Scroto!
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Vlammetje
Joined: Mar 01, 2003
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From: Den Haag
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it's both
mostly greek though
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mince-inside
Joined: May 09, 2004
Posts: 452
From: Made in Alnwick living in Scot
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@Vlammetje, I know I was being modest 
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[ This Message was edited by: mince-inside on 2004-09-21 10:14 ] |
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Posted: 2004-09-20 22:37
