Hydrogen bonding stabilizes which structural features in biomolecules?

Hydrogen bonding stabilizes which structural features in biomolecules?

• A. The primary structure of proteins
• B. Protein and nucleic acid secondary structure
• C. The lipid bilayer structure
• D. The tertiary structure of carbohydrates

Answer: (B)

Hydrogen bonds help create and stabilize regular, local folding patterns in biomolecules. In proteins, the backbone amide and carbonyl groups form hydrogen bonds that hold nearby segments in specific orientations, producing alpha helices and beta sheets—these are the secondary structures. In nucleic acids, hydrogen bonding between complementary bases (A with T or U, and G with C) binds the two strands together, giving the double helix, another form of secondary structure. The lipid bilayer is mainly stabilized by hydrophobic interactions and van der Waals forces among fatty acid chains, with only minor contributions from hydrogen bonding at the polar head groups. Carbohydrates do not rely on hydrogen bonds to define a primary secondary structural feature in the same way; their shapes arise from glycosidic linkages and other interactions, but hydrogen bonding is most characteristic in the secondary structures of proteins and nucleic acids.

Hydrogen bonds help create and stabilize regular, local folding patterns in biomolecules. In proteins, the backbone amide and carbonyl groups form hydrogen bonds that hold nearby segments in specific orientations, producing alpha helices and beta sheets—these are the secondary structures. In nucleic acids, hydrogen bonding between complementary bases (A with T or U, and G with C) binds the two strands together, giving the double helix, another form of secondary structure. The lipid bilayer is mainly stabilized by hydrophobic interactions and van der Waals forces among fatty acid chains, with only minor contributions from hydrogen bonding at the polar head groups. Carbohydrates do not rely on hydrogen bonds to define a primary secondary structural feature in the same way; their shapes arise from glycosidic linkages and other interactions, but hydrogen bonding is most characteristic in the secondary structures of proteins and nucleic acids.