protein structure

Cultural  

1. The three-dimensional structure of a protein that is often key to its enzyme function. The structure of a protein is characterized in four ways: The primary structure is the order of the different amino acids in a protein chain, whereas the secondary structure consists of the geometry of chain segments in forms such as helices or sheets. The tertiary structure describes how a protein folds in on itself; the quaternary structure of a protein describes how different protein chains hook up with each other.

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Example Sentences

The team found that sea silk's iridescence is created by a spherical protein structure known as "photonin."

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

The amount and identity of natural lipids – fats and oils – found within a specific muscle tissue can influence the protein structure, and therefore the flavor, tenderness and juiciness, of the meat.

From Salon • Nov. 25, 2024

In protein design, gradient descent can be used to compare the structure of new proteins predicted by AlphaFold2 with the desired protein structure.

From Science Daily • Nov. 21, 2024

In recent years, machine learning techniques have made significant progress in protein structure prediction.

From Science Daily • May 29, 2024

Furthermore, the protein structure of the body cells and the salts of the bones and other tissues are in a constant state of wearing down.

From Food in War Time by Lusk, Graham