Prosthetic group
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A prosthetic group is a nonprotein (non-amino acid) component of a conjugated protein. The prosthetic group may be organic (such as a vitamin, sugar, or lipid) or inorganic (such as a metal ion). Prosthetic groups usually bond covalently to their protein. They often play an important role in the function of many proteins such as enzymes. A good example of a prosthetic group is the heme group in hemoglobin. A protein without its prosthetic group is called an apoprotein, while a protein combined with its prosthetic group is called a holoprotein.
See also
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