Secondary structure and function of proteins

Question 1

What is the secondary structure of a protein

Answer 1

The secondary structure of a protein occurs when the weak negatively charged nitrogen and oxygen atoms interact with the weak positively charged hydrogen atoms to form hydrogen bonds in the protein backbone

Question 1

There are two shapes that can form within proteins due to the hydrogen bonds

what are they

Answer 1

α-helix

β-pleated sheet

Question 2

The α-helix shape occurs when the hydrogen bonds form

Answer 2

between every fourth peptide bond (between the oxygen of the carboxyl group and the hydrogen of the amine group)

Question 3

The β-pleated sheet shape forms when the protein

Answer 3

folds so that two parts of the polypeptide chain are parallel to each other enabling hydrogen bonds to form between parallel peptide bonds

Question 4

What kind of proteins have mostly secondary structures

Answer 4

(e.g. collagen and keratin)

Question 5

The secondary structure only relates to hydrogen bonds forming between

Answer 5

forming between the amine group and the carboxyl group (the ‘protein backbone’)

Question 6

The hydrogen bonds can be broken by

Answer 6

high temperatures and pH changes