In: Biology
Define protein denaturation and list at least four specific mechanisms that can cause it.
Please show all work and explain your responses.
protein denaturation is the breaking or disruption of the alpha-helix and the beta-sheets present in the noraml protein which leads to distruction of the secondary and tertiary structures of the protein. However, the primary structure is retained even after denaturation. This denaturation is the result of the destruction of the bonding interactions among the charged and the non-polar components of a protein.
The four mechanisms causing protein denaturation are as follows:
1. Heat - It disrupts the hydrophobic interactions and the hydrogen bonds leads to damaged secondary and tertiary structures.
2. Alcohol - Alcohol denatures the protein by breaking the hydrogen bonds present between the amine groups of the protein.
3. Reducing agents - Reducing agents break the covalent disulfide bonds of the protein leading to its denaturation.
4. Heavy metal salts - They react with the protein to form insoluble metal-protein salts.