The Tertiary Structure of a Protein is The

Question

The tertiary structure of a protein is the
A)bonding together of several polypeptide chains by weak bonds.
B)order in which amino acids are joined in a polypeptide chain.
C)unique three-dimensional shape of the fully folded polypeptide.
D)organization of a polypeptide chain into an α helix or β pleated sheet.
E)overall protein structure resulting from the aggregation of two or more polypeptide subunits.

Accepted Answer

The tertiary structure is the unique three-dimensional shape that a fully folded polypeptide takes on due to the interactions between amino acid side chains (such as hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic interactions, disulfide bridging, etc.). This structure is critical to a protein's function, as it determines the specific binding sites and active sites that allow the protein to carry out its biological roles.