Chapter 20: Problem 5

Describe and name the four different levels of protein structure

Short Answer

Expert verified

The four levels of protein structure are: 1) Primary, which refers to the unique sequence of amino acids. 2) Secondary, which involves local folding into structures such as alpha-helices or beta-sheets. 3) Tertiary, which is the full three dimensional structure of the polypeptide chain due to various interactions and 4) Quaternary, which consists of several protein subunits forming a single, functional protein complex.

Step by step solution

Primary structure

The primary structure of a protein is its unique sequence of amino acids. This structure is determined by the gene corresponding to the protein. A protein is a polymer of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds.

Secondary structure

The secondary structure of a protein refers to the local folded structures that form within a polypeptide due to interactions between its backbone constituents. Two kinds of secondary structure are commonly observed in proteins: alpha-helices and beta-sheets.

Tertiary structure

The tertiary structure of a protein refers to the three-dimensional structure of the polypeptide chain, and is determined by a variety of interactions, including hydrogen bonding, ionic interactions, Van der Waals forces, and hydrophobic packing. Additionally, the formation of disulfide bridges between cysteine residues can further stabilize the protein structure.

Quaternary structure

The quaternary structure of a protein refers to the structure formed by several protein molecules (polypeptide chains), usually called protein subunits, which function as a single protein complex. Not all proteins have a quaternary structure; those that do are often more stable and have a broader range of functionalities.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Describe and name the four different levels of protein structure

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Primary structure

Secondary structure

Tertiary structure

Quaternary structure

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Kinetics

Chemical Analysis

Chemistry Branches

The Earths Atmosphere

Physical Chemistry

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.