There are 20 amino acids that cells use to build the numerous amounts of proteins that are essential for life. If a protein molecule consisted of 100 amino acids, how many combinations are possible?
What is the probability that out of the total possible combinations of the 100 amino acids, the resulting combination is the precise combination needed?
To find the number of possible combinations of the 100 amino acids, we need to multiply the number of options (20) for each position (100) in the protein molecule. So, the total number of combinations would be 20 raised to the power of 100 (20^100).
To calculate the probability of getting the precise combination needed out of all possible combinations, we need to know the number of distinct combinations that would result in the desired outcome. Assuming there is only one specific combination that is correct, the probability of getting the precise combination is 1 divided by the total number of combinations (1 / 20^100).
However, it is essential to note that in reality, the probability of needing a specific combination out of all possible combinations is generally very low. There may be multiple correct combinations or a range of acceptable variations for different proteins.