Anfinsen's experiments on denatured ribonuclease showed that
A) protein denaturation is irreversible.
B) proteins can renature to regain their activity only with the assistance of specialized enzymes.
C) proteins have unique amino acid sequences.
D) the conformation of the folded protein is determined by its amino acid sequence.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Anfinsen's experiments showed that the conformation of the folded protein is determined by its amino acid sequence. When denatured ribonuclease was treated with a reducing agent and then allowed to refold in the absence of the reducing agent, it regained its enzymatic activity, indicating that the correct conformation was restored. This demonstrates that protein folding is determined by the primary structure (amino acid sequence) of the protein.

Anfinsen's Experiments on Denatured Ribonuclease Showed That