Question

TRUE OR FALSE :if false please explain

protiens folds up according to thermodynamic principles into a conformation that represents the lowest free energy conformation

Answer 1

False

Proteins fold to stabilize themselves. When a protein is unfolded, it has a tendency to form bonds with other such unfolded protein molecules. This is because of the presence of free amino acids in an unfolded protein. An unfolded protein has higher free energy and that is why it is unstable.

But when a protein folds, most of the amino acids become bonded with other amino acids of the same protein molecule or the different protein molecule. This leads to interaction between different acids and therefore now the amino acids are not free. This increases the stability of proteins and therefore they are in their low energy conformation.

But note that I am seeing the folded proteins are in their low energy confirmation. The main aim of protein folding is to make them functional not to make them stable. Although folded protein is stabilized as compared to its unfolded counterpart, but it is not always necessary that the functional protein is always in its lowest energy.

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