Which gives rise to a favorable enthalpic ( S)driving force for protein folding?
A) The lining up of hydrogen bonds as the protein folds.
B) The limiting of possible conformations as the protein folds.
C) The decrease in ordered water molecules as hydrophobic amino acids pack together.
D) The stabilization caused by favorable electrostatic interactions of amino acid side chains.

Question

Which gives rise to a favorable enthalpic (  S)driving force for protein folding?
A) The lining up of hydrogen bonds as the protein folds. 
B) The limiting of possible conformations as the protein folds. 
C) The decrease in ordered water molecules as hydrophobic amino acids pack together. 
D) The stabilization caused by favorable electrostatic interactions of amino acid side chains.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The decrease in ordered water molecules as hydrophobic amino acids pack together gives rise to a favorable enthalpic driving force for protein folding. This is because the hydrophobic effect drives hydrophobic molecules (like hydrophobic amino acids) together in aqueous environments, minimizing contact with ordered water molecules, which increases entropy and is energetically favorable. This enthalpic driving force is in addition to entropy-driven forces that arise from limiting the possible conformations (choice B) as the protein folds. The lining up of hydrogen bonds (choice A) and stabilization caused by favorable electrostatic interactions of amino acid side chains (choice D) are also important driving forces for protein folding but do not necessarily give rise to a favorable enthalpic driving force.

Which Gives Rise to a Favorable Enthalpic ( S)driving