Question

Write short notes on the following:  Denaturation of protein & Nucleic acid

Hint:

Denaturation of proteins is often irreversible, like cooking an egg, while nucleic acids play a key role in genetics.

Answer 1

(1) Denaturation of Protein: - Denaturation is the loss of a protein's native structure due to heat, pH change, or chemicals. - Causes unfolding of protein chains, leading to loss of biological activity. \[ \text{Protein (Native)} \xrightarrow{\text{Heat}} \text{Protein (Denatured)} \] (2) Nucleic Acid: - Nucleic acids (DNA, RNA) store genetic information. - Composed of nucleotides: sugar, phosphate, and nitrogen base.