The tertiary structure of a protein is its three-dimensional shape, formed by further folding and bending of the secondary structures into a complex shape due to interactions between side chains of amino acids.
congrats on reading the definition of Tertiary Structure. now let's actually learn it.
Disulfide Bridge: This is a strong covalent bond formed between two cysteine residues in a protein. It's like using super glue on certain parts of our bead sculpture to make sure they stay together.
Hydrophobic Interaction: These are interactions that occur when nonpolar compounds aggregate together while in presence of water. Think about how oil droplets come together when mixed with water - similar forces help shape our protein sculpture.
Ionic Bonding: This is the complete transfer of valence electron(s) between atoms generating two oppositely charged ions. It's like magnets attracting different parts of our bead sculpture to give it its final form.