protein length - 2025 PACE NSC

Question

Levinthal's paradox arises from an apparent exponential growth in complexity with this quantity. For 10 points each:

[10m] Name this quantity for which, as of Fallon et al. 2024's description of PKZILLAs ("P-K-zillas"), has been observed at values of up to 45,000. This quantity for titin ("TYE-tin") can exceed 35,000.

ANSWER: protein length [or polypeptide length; accept answers describing the number of amino acids in a protein; prompt on protein size or polypeptide size; prompt on answers describing the number of monomers in a polymer by asking "what are the monomers in this context?"]

[10h] PKZILLAs construct toxins called prymnesins ("pri-MEE-sins"), whose polycyclic "ladder-frames" feature repeats of this functional group. Polymers characterized by this group, like PEG ("P-E-G"), feature C and O atoms on opposite ends of their monomers.

ANSWER: ethers [or polyethers]

[10e] PKZILLAs are so large that they challenge current models of this process by which a protein gains three-dimensional tertiary structure.

ANSWER: protein folding

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Data

Team	Opponent	Part 1	Part 2	Part 3	Total
Adlai E. Stevenson B	Grosse Pointe South	0	0	10	10
Alabama Cyber Tech	Belmont	0	0	10	10
Audrain County AT	Strake Jesuit A	0	10	10	20
Barrington	West Point	0	0	10	10
Centennial A	Classen SAS	0	0	0	0
Centennial B	Milton	10	0	10	20
Chattahoochee A	Georgetown Day	0	0	10	10
Detroit Catholic Central A	Montgomery Blair A	0	0	10	10
Eastchester	Walter Payton A	10	0	10	20
Edina	Saratoga	0	10	10	20
Fairfield County AT	Chattahoochee B	0	0	10	10
Great Valley	Downingtown STEM	0	0	10	10
Herron	Page	0	0	0	0
Hinsdale Central A	Richard Montgomery	0	0	10	10
Homewood-Flossmoor	White Pigeon	0	0	0	0
Hunter A	Northview	0	0	10	10
Hunter B	Detroit Catholic Central B	10	0	10	20
Innovation Academy A	Fremd	10	0	10	20
Innovation Academy B	Montgomery Blair B	10	0	10	20
Lambert B	Carmel B	0	10	10	20
Lexington	Lambert A	0	0	10	10
Lincoln-Way East A	Irvington	0	0	10	10
Lincoln-Way East B	Coronado	0	0	10	10
Northmont	Lindbergh	0	0	10	10
Parkway West	Seven Lakes	0	0	10	10
Quince Orchard	Northside College Prep	0	0	10	10
Russell	Detroit Catholic Central C	0	0	10	10
Solon	Yukon A	0	0	10	10
Thomas Jefferson A	Adlai E. Stevenson A	0	0	10	10
Thomas Jefferson B	Carl Sandburg	0	0	10	10
Thomas Jefferson C	Saint Joseph	10	10	10	30
Thomas Jefferson D	Okemos	10	0	10	20
Thomas Jefferson E	Kane County AT	0	0	10	10
Uni School of Nashville A	Uni School of Nashville B	0	0	10	10
Uni of Illinois Laboratory	Strake Jesuit B	10	0	10	20
Virginia	North Quincy	0	0	0	0
Walker	Glenbrook South	10	0	10	20
Wayzata	Park Tudor	0	0	10	10
Westwood	Johns Creek	0	10	10	20
Winston Churchill A	Carmel A	10	0	10	20
Winston Churchill B	Lee's Summit	0	0	10	10
Yukon B	Walter Payton B	0	0	10	10

Summary

Tournament	Edition	Exact Match?	Heard	PPB	Easy %	Medium %	Hard %
2025 PACE NSC	06/07/2025	Y	42	12.62	91%	24%	12%