Which of these determines the tertiary 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 alpha helices and pleated sheets along the axis of the protein
D) Number of carbon bonds in the chain of amino acids
E) Interactions between amino acids separated by significant distances on the protein chain

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The tertiary structure of a protein is determined by the interactions between amino acids that are far apart on the protein chain. These interactions include hydrogen bonding, disulfide bonding, hydrophobic interactions, and electrostatic interactions. The sequence of amino acids (choice A) determines the primary structure, the ratio of acidic to basic amino acids (choice B) does not play a significant role in determining the tertiary structure, and the number of alpha helices and pleated sheets along the axis of the protein (choice C) only determines the secondary structure. The number of carbon bonds in the chain (choice D) is a characteristic of the type of amino acids involved, but does not determine the overall structure.

Which of These Determines the Tertiary Structure of a Protein