Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Denatured refers to the alteration of a protein's native structure, causing it to lose its biological function. This process often involves breaking of hydrogen bonds and disulfide bridges.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Denaturation can be caused by changes in temperature, pH, or exposure to chemicals.
Once denatured, a protein may not return to its original functional form.
Enzymes are particularly sensitive to denaturation as their active sites lose functionality.
Denatured proteins often aggregate due to exposed hydrophobic regions.
Denaturation is a reversible or irreversible process depending on the conditions and extent of the alteration.
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Related terms
Hydrogen Bonding: A type of weak chemical bond that is key to maintaining the secondary and tertiary structures of proteins.
Disulfide Bridge: A covalent bond derived from two thiol groups, crucial for stabilizing a protein’s tertiary structure.
Renaturation: The process by which a denatured protein regains its native structure and function under favorable conditions.