Proteasomal degradation

Proteasomal degradation is a natural process where the cell breaks down and recycles damaged or unneeded proteins. Proteins marked for destruction get tagged with a small molecule called ubiquitin. These tagged proteins then travel to a structure called the proteasome, a complex protein server. Inside, the proteasome unfolds and cuts the protein into small building blocks called amino acids. These components are then recycled to build new proteins or used in other cell functions, helping maintain cellular health by removing defective or unnecessary proteins efficiently.