Protein secondary structures such as -helices and
-sheets are stabilized mainly by
A) ionic interactions.
B) disulfide bond formation.
C) van der Waals forces.
D) hydrogen bond formation.

Question

Protein secondary structures such as  -helices and 
-sheets are stabilized mainly by
A) ionic interactions. 
B) disulfide bond formation. 
C) van der Waals forces. 
D) hydrogen bond formation.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Protein secondary structures, such as alpha-helices and beta-sheets, are stabilized mainly by hydrogen bond formation between backbone atoms of the amino acid residues. Ionic interactions, disulfide bond formation, and van der Waals forces can also contribute to protein stability, but they are not the main stabilizing force for secondary structures.

Protein Secondary Structures Such as -Helices and