Kateprosentin

Kateprosentin is a fictional protein commonly used in educational materials and thought experiments to illustrate concepts in molecular biology, bioinformatics, and protein design. The name is a constructed term, not tied to a real gene or organism.

In typical representations, Kateprosentin is a 180–230 amino acid, single-chain globular protein with an estimated molecular weight around 20–26 kDa. The fold is described as a mixed alpha/beta structure, often featuring a central hydrophobic core and a solvent-exposed surface suitable for protein–protein interactions.

Proposed functions in these contexts include catalytic activity for a hypothetical metabolic step, a regulatory adaptor in signaling, or a scaffold protein for complex assembly. However, in educational use it is treated as a stand-in rather than a validated biological entity.

Use in bioinformatics: Kateprosentin serves as a test-case for motif finding, secondary-structure prediction, and structure-modeling pipelines. It is also used to illustrate pitfalls in annotation, such as overinterpreting low-confidence predictions or mislabeling hypothetical proteins.

Origin and status: The term originated in teaching materials and online resources to provide a neutral, hypothetical example that avoids tying the discussion to any real organism. Because Kateprosentin is not a real protein, any claims about its properties are hypothetical and should be interpreted as conceptual.