1.6 Denaturation

Question 1

What’re the two main causes of denaturation?

Answer 1

• Heat: As temp. increases so does KE, When the temperature gets high enough, this extra energy can be enough to overcome the hydrophobic interactions that hold a protein together, causing the protein to unfold
• Solutes: denature proteins by directly interfering with the forces that hold the protein together break disulfide bridges and disrupt tertiary and quaternary structures. reducing
  cystine back to two cysteine residues. They can even overcome the hydrogen bonds and other side chain interactions that hold α-helices and β-pleated sheets intact.