A protein can become denatured when ?
A weak hydrogen bonds are broken.
B bonds between C-O are broken.
C peptide bonds are broken. ?
D None of these is correct.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is: C. Peptide bonds are broken.
Explanation (300 words):
Peptide bonds are the chemical bonds that link amino acids together to form proteins. These bonds are formed between the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of another, releasing a molecule of water (H₂O) in the process — a reaction known as dehydration synthesis. The result is a covalent bond, called a peptide bond, which is strong and stable under normal conditions.
When proteins need to be broken down — such as during digestion, cell recycling, or laboratory processes — these peptide bonds are hydrolyzed (broken down using water) in a reaction called hydrolysis. This process is typically catalyzed by enzymes known as proteases or peptidases. The breaking of peptide bonds results in the formation of individual amino acids or smaller peptide fragments.
On the other hand:
- Bonds between C-O (carbon-oxygen) atoms can refer to a variety of chemical bonds, such as in alcohols, esters, or carbohydrates. While these bonds are important in biochemistry, they are not the primary bonds broken during protein digestion or degradation. Thus, this option is incorrect in the context of breaking down proteins or peptides.
- “None of these is correct” is also incorrect because peptide bonds are the correct bonds that need to be broken to separate amino acids in a protein.
Therefore, when breaking down proteins into their basic building blocks, it is the peptide bonds (C) that are specifically targeted. This understanding is essential in fields such as biochemistry, nutrition, medicine, and molecular biology, especially when studying enzymes, metabolic pathways, and protein function.