Multiple Choice
If a part of a protein becomes damaged, which process is most likely to occur as a result?
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4. Protein Structure
Denaturation
Multiple Choice
At higher temperatures, an enzyme may denature. Which statement best describes what happens during denaturation?
A
Denaturation increases enzyme specificity by making the active site more rigid and better shaped for the substrate.
B
The enzyme loses its native secondary and tertiary structure (and possibly quaternary structure), disrupting the active site and reducing catalytic activity.
C
The enzyme’s peptide bonds are hydrolyzed, converting the protein completely into free amino acids.
D
The enzyme’s primary amino acid sequence is rearranged into a new sequence by forming different peptide bonds.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that enzyme denaturation refers to the loss of the enzyme's native three-dimensional structure without breaking the primary amino acid sequence.
Recall that the enzyme's function depends on its secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures, which create the specific shape of the active site necessary for substrate binding.
Recognize that during denaturation, these higher-order structures (secondary, tertiary, and quaternary) are disrupted due to factors like heat, causing the enzyme to lose its functional shape.
Note that denaturation does not involve breaking peptide bonds (which would hydrolyze the enzyme into amino acids) nor does it rearrange the primary sequence; the primary structure remains intact.
Conclude that the loss of the enzyme's native structure disrupts the active site, reducing or eliminating catalytic activity, which is the hallmark of denaturation.
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