Editing C-reactive protein (section)

== Genetics and structure ==

It is a member of the small [[pentraxins]] family (also known as short pentraxins).<ref>{{cite web|title=Gene group: Short pentraxins|publisher=[[HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee]]|url=https://www.genenames.org/data/genegroup/#!/group/1143}}</ref> The polypeptide encoded by this gene has 224 amino acids.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/viewer.fcgi?db=protein&val=30224 | work = NCBI Entrez Protein | title = #CAA39671 }}</ref> The full-length polypeptide is not present in the body in significant quantities due to [[signal peptide]], which is removed by [[signal peptidase]] before [[Translation (biology)|translation]] is completed. The complete protein, composed of five monomers, has a total mass of approximately 120,000&nbsp;Da.  In serum, it assembles into stable pentameric structure with a discoid shape.<ref>{{cite web |title=Human C-reactive protein complexed with phosphocholine |url=https://www.ebi.ac.uk/pdbe/entry/pdb/1b09 |website=Protein Data Bank in Europe}}</ref>