proteindenaturant
nounUK /ˈprəʊtiːn diːˈneɪtʃərənt/
US /ˈproʊtiːn diːˈneɪtʃərənt/
A thing that makes protein change its shape so it stops working the way it used to.
Heat acts as a proteindenaturant when you cook an egg.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A chemical such as urea or guanidine hydrochloride used in labs to unfold proteins for study.
The scientist added a proteindenaturant to unfold the enzyme before analysis.
3. Any physical factor like heat or strong acid that disrupts a protein's natural structure.
Strong acid is a common proteindenaturant in digestion.
4. A substance that breaks the weak bonds holding a protein's folded shape together.
This proteindenaturant targets hydrogen bonds within the protein.