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Chapter 1: Problem 10

Why does the central role of weak forces in biomolecular interactions restrict living systems to a narrow range of environmental conditions?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The central role of weak forces in biomolecular interactions restricts living systems to a narrow range of environmental conditions because these forces are highly sensitive to changes in conditions like temperature, pH, and ion concentration. Deviations from the optimal range can disrupt these weak forces, cause denaturation of biomolecules, and thereby disrupt their function.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Biomolecular Interactions and Weak Forces

The first step is to comprehend the role weak forces play in biomolecular interactions. Bio-molecules interact via forces which can be weak or strong. The weak forces include hydrogen bonds, ionic interactions, Van Der Waals forces, and hydrophobic interactions. They play a crucial role in maintaining the structure of bio-molecules and facilitating biochemical reactions.
02

Role of Weak forces in Biomolecular Interactions

Weak forces contribute to the three-dimensional structure of large molecules like proteins and nucleic acids, and the formation of complexes of molecules. For example, hydrogen bonds stabilize the secondary structure of proteins and DNA, ionic interactions stabilize the structure of proteins, while hydrophobic interactions play a critical role in the folding of proteins into their tertiary and quaternary structure. Natural biomolecules have evolved to maximize these weak forces.
03

Environmental Conditions and weak forces

Finally, it is important to understand that weak forces are sensitive to environmental conditions such as temperature, pH, and ion concentration. Deviations from the narrow optimal range of these conditions can disrupt the weak forces, leading to the denaturation of biomolecules, and hence disrupting their functions. For instance, high temperatures can break weak forces, causing proteins to denature and lose their function. Similarly, extreme pH or ion concentrations can disrupt ionic interactions and hydrogen bonds.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Without consulting the figures in this chapter, sketch the characteristic prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell types and label their pertinent organelle and membrane systems.

The genome of the Mycoplasma genitalium consists of 523 genes, encoding 484 proteins, in just 580,074 base pairs (Table 1.6). What fraction of the \(M .\) genitalium genes encode proteins? What do you think the other genes encode? If the fraction of base pairs devoted to protein-coding genes is the same as the fraction of the total genes that they represent, what is the average number of base pairs per protein-coding gene? If it takes 3 base pairs to specify an amino acid in a protein, how many amino acids are found in the average \(M .\) genitalium protein? If each amino acid contributes on average 120 Daltons to the mass of a protein, what is the mass of an average M. genitalium protein?

Describe what is meant by the phrase "cells are steady-state systems."

Proteins and nucleic acids are informational macromolecules. What are the two minimal criteria for a linear informational polymer?

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a site of protein synthesis. Proteins made by ribosomes associated with the ER may pass into the ER membrane or enter the lumen of the ER. Devise a pathway by which: a. a plasma membrane protein may reach the plasma membrane. b. a secreted protein may be deposited outside the cell.
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