Denaturation (biochemistry)

Denaturation (biochemistry)

Denaturation is a process in biochemistry where proteins or nucleic acids lose the quaternary structure, tertiary structure, and secondary structure which is present in their native state, by application of some external stress or compound such as a strong acid or base, a concentrated inorganic salt, an organic solvent (e.g., alcohol or chloroform), radiation or heat.

Pronunciation

/diːˌnætʃəˈreɪʃən/

Etymology

The term "denaturation" originates from the Latin word "denaturare" which means "to change the nature of".

Related Terms

• Protein folding
• Nucleic acid secondary structure
• Molecular biology
• Biochemistry

Process

Denaturation disrupts the normal alpha-helix and beta sheets in a protein and uncoils it into a random shape. Denaturation can also occur in DNA; however, it is different from denaturation in proteins. The process of denaturation in DNA involves the disruption of the base pairs, which causes the two strands of the DNA to separate.

Effects

Denaturation is a key process in many biological research and diagnostic methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gel electrophoresis, and is also used in cooking (e.g., denaturation of egg white protein to form a solid mass).

See Also

• Protein structure
• Nucleic acid structure
• Molecular biology
• Biochemistry

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Denaturation (biochemistry)
• Wikipedia's article - Denaturation (biochemistry)

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