Denaturation

Definition

Denaturation is the process where proteins or nucleic acids lose their structure due to external stress, such as heat or chemicals. This loss of structure results in a loss of function.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Denaturation affects both DNA and proteins, disrupting hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions.
2. In DNA, denaturation can be induced by high temperatures, causing the double helix to separate into single strands.
3. Protein denaturation may result from changes in pH, temperature, or exposure to chemicals like urea or SDS.
4. Denaturation is often reversible for nucleic acids but usually irreversible for proteins.
5. Techniques like PCR rely on the denaturation of DNA to separate strands for replication.

Review Questions

• What external factors can cause denaturation of proteins and nucleic acids?
• How does denaturation affect the structure and function of DNA?
• Why is protein denaturation often irreversible while DNA denaturation can be reversible?

Related terms

Renaturation: The process by which a denatured protein or nucleic acid regains its native structure.

Melting Temperature (Tm): The temperature at which half of the DNA strands are in the double-helix state and half are in the 'melted' single-strand state.

PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction): A technique used to amplify small segments of DNA by repeatedly denaturing and synthesizing new strands.