Which of these determines the secondary structure of a protein?
A) Sequence of amino acids
B) Ratio of the number of acidic amino acids to the number of basic amino acids
C) Number of carbon bonds in the chain of amino acids
D) Alpha helices and pleated sheets along the axis of the protein
E) Distance between amino acids

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The secondary structure of a protein is determined by the arrangement of amino acids into alpha helices and pleated sheets along the axis of the protein. The sequence of amino acids determines the primary structure, while the ratio of acidic to basic amino acids and number of carbon bonds do not play a significant role in determining the secondary structure. The distance between amino acids can affect the tertiary structure of a protein, but not the secondary structure.

Which of These Determines the Secondary Structure of a Protein