Answer to Question #60437 in Molecular Biology for Sanjukta Ghosh

Question

Is tertiary protein structure the net structure formed after the alpha helix and beta pleated sheet bearing polypeptide segments interact among themselves (through H-bond, hydrophobic interaction, van der Waals force, ionic bonds and covalent linkage)?

Answer 1

Yes, you are right.
H-bonds, hydrophobic interactions, van der Waals forces, ionic bonds and covalent linkages form between the radicals of amino acids, which form the α-helixes and β sheets. The interaction is posibble between radicals of the same α-helixes and β sheets, as well as between different α-helixes and β sheets.