Biology A-Level
denaturation
What denaturation means in Biology A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definitions of denaturation
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Reference: AQA
At high temperatures or extreme pH, hydrogen and ionic bonds break, altering the tertiary structure so the active site is no longer complementary.
Heat or pH breaks hydrogen and ionic bonds, so the tertiary structure changes and the protein is denatured.
Breaking of hydrogen and ionic bonds so the tertiary structure changes and the site no longer fits.
Topics that use denaturation
- General properties of proteins (AQA A-Level)
- Many proteins are enzymes (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- tertiary structure
- activation energy
- active site
- active sites and binding sites
- amino acids
- carboxyl and amine groups
- competitive inhibition
- condensation arithmetic
Using denaturation in the exam
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