By Anupum Pant
Background
No, I’m not talking about the fictional character Tintin. It’s Titin I’m talking about. The initial part of it is pronounced almost like Titan, but please do not confuse it with Titan. Titin is the largest protein molecule ever discovered. Soon you’ll see why it is the largest…
Titin is the short name for an extremely massive protein molecule. The full-length scientific name of this protein molecule contains 189,819 characters and is considered (by some) as the longest word in not just English, but any language.
Others choose to not consider it a word at all. You won’t even find the full scientific name of Titin in any dictionary. According to lexicographers it is only a chemical formula, not a word. Technically, they are right. So, it is not really the longest word in English.
In that case, probably a lung disease called pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis can be considered the largest word. There are 45 letters in it. But my history teacher once told me that floccinaucinihilipilification (meaning, the estimation of something as worthless) was the longest word in English. Well, someone needs to tell me which one it really is. Till then, I’ll consider Titin as the undefeated champion…
What is it?
Titin is a protein found in certain kind of muscle tissues. It is the thing that makes those muscles elastic. For instance, in heart muscles – that expand and contract continuously for decades, without a break. The folded nature of this huge molecule makes it act like a spring – just like a long wire can be coiled into a small spring. The full chemical formula goes like this:
C132983H211861N36149O40883S693
I won’t spam my blog with the full name, but I’ll definitely point you to it. [Full name spelled out]. If you are too lazy to go there, it starts like this:
Methionylthreonylthreonylglutaminylalrylglycylphenylalanylprolylvalylprolyylglycylarginylalanyllysylleucylthreonylglutamylleucylleu…
and ends like this:
partylaspartylleucylthreonylthrnylaspartylvalylglutaminyllysylglutamilthreonylleucylserylleucylglycylasparalaspartylserylalanylthr…
The video: It takes about 233 minutes to pronounce the full chemical name – Yes, a guy tried it out (with video cuts of course). The gentleman pronounces it on camera for you. If you care enough to watch the whole 3 and half hour-long video, you’ll see how the man grows a stubble while pronouncing it. Also, you’ll see the plant dying out. But those are only gimmicks that makes the video funny. I’d like to add that his expression in the end is priceless. You shouldn’t miss that. Here, I’ve attached it for you below:
To use up the same amount of time in a better manner, I suggest that you watch the Bill Nye vs. Ken Ham debate.
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I finally know the longest English word and I won’t bother trying to read it. What if the guy reading the word needs a pee? Do they make him read on the toilet or what?
haha true. But I don’t think this was totally real, like I mentioned in the post somewhere…That plant dying off is one thing that says it wasn’t totally real. It was made to look really nerdy.
Now type out the pronunciation for us.
Great post! Thanks for sharing Titin Protein – The Longest Word in English – Science Everyday
My name is Dr. Rao (Neuroscience). I was reading a book on Medical physiology 3rd edition by Boron.I knew about this protein, before, and its function in skeletal and cardiac muscle. I wanted to know more about it as this is the largest protein. so i have come across this unique information about this protein. Thanks. i have to share this information with other.
Glad you found value in it Dr. Rao. It is an honor.
really stupid; you need a low-band cutoff fiter
I hope this is not typical of the articles on your site.
PS, What I’ve always favored is Taumatawhaka tangihangakoauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukaipokaiwhenuakitanatahi
(as I remember it; Wikipedia says “Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu (spelling varies)”)
At least it’s (kind of) an actual place name.
(which – yes, as a proper noun, doesn’t count)
(Well, *I* think it’s less stupid.)
Stupidity, my friend, is relative – changes with time, people and so many other parameters. I’m assuming you don’t speak Chinese, but that doesn’t make you stupid as so many other humans may think. I understand you saying it because this sort of a mindset is common. You don’t want to be that common man, do you? If you can appreciate this fact, you certainly are a wiser person. Try to…
Wow that’s really a huge molecule! Just see how many carbons and oxigens and hydrogen atoms it is made of ! Woow ! How can that be possible ???
Now add subtitles…
@Anupum Pant, can you provide your source(s) as to how you arrived at the length of the chemical word and the chemical formula for titin? My research indicates that titin is the name of a protein with an amino acid chain that is or may be different with each organism that possesses the protein. Human (Homo sapiens) titin is given as composing 34,350 amino acids which would form an IUPAC chemical name of 247,946 letters (or 248,878 letters if the variant spelling of the radical for trytophane, tryptophanyl, was used instead of trytophyl). Titin of the house mouse (Mus musculus) is even longer as it comprises a chain of 35,213 amino acids.