FlipFact of the Day: Titin, also known as connectin, is the largest known protein in the human body. Folded and spring-like, it is encoded by the TTN gene, and plays a crucial role in the elasticity and passive stiffness of skeletal and cardiac tissues. It’s so large that scientists haven’t even managed to study it extensively.
Interestingly, this plus-sized protein has an equally monumental moniker: a 189,819-letter word, to be exact. Due to international naming guidelines, a protein’s technical scientific name (which you won’t find in any dictionary) has to include every single amino acid in it. Well, titin has 34,350 amino acids, so…
If you have three and a half hours to spare, here’s the full technical name of titin.
Today’s Science History Milestone: On August 14, 1885, Japan’s first patent was issued to the inventor of a rust-proof paint.
Still remember your 5th-grade science classes? Test your knowledge and see if you still remember these facts and fundamental concepts in human anatomy, biology, botany, and other branches of science. Click here to try the “Are You Smarter Than A Pinoy Fifth-Grader” Challenge.
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Cover: Ilkumi Kayama/Studio Kayama
References
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Author: Mikael Angelo Francisco
Bitten by the science writing bug, Mikael has years of writing and editorial experience under his belt. As the editor-in-chief of FlipScience, Mikael has sworn to help make science more fun and interesting for geeky readers and casual audiences alike.
