Denaturation is the process by which a protein loses its native structure and function due to external stress, such as heat or chemicals. This structural change is often irreversible and affects the protein's biological activity.
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Denaturation disrupts hydrogen bonds, ionic interactions, and disulfide bridges within a protein.
Common causes of denaturation include high temperatures, extreme pH levels, and exposure to detergents or solvents.
Denatured proteins often lose their solubility in water and may precipitate out of solution.
The primary structure (amino acid sequence) of the protein remains unchanged during denaturation.
Enzymes are particularly sensitive to denaturation because their catalytic activity depends on their specific three-dimensional shape.