What happens when a protein is denatured?
A) Its secondary structure is disrupted but its primary structure remains intact.
B) Its primary structure is disrupted but its secondary structure remains intact.
C) It is broken apart into its constituent amino acids.
D) It becomes all a-helix.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Denaturation of a protein involves disruption of its secondary, tertiary, or quaternary structure, but the primary structure (the sequence of amino acids) remains intact. Therefore, choice A is the correct answer. Option B is incorrect because the primary structure is the basis for the secondary structure, so if the primary structure is disrupted, the secondary structure cannot remain intact. Option C is incorrect because denaturation does not break down proteins into their constituent amino acids but rather results in a loss of three-dimensional shape. Option D is incorrect because denaturation does not cause proteins to become exclusively alpha helix.

What Happens When a Protein Is Denatured