Bonding Enzyme

[SaintJude]

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Bonding between atoms within an enzyme such as trypsin is best described as

a.) peptide
b.) saccharide
c.) ionic
d.) Van der waals

Answer (highlight here): A.

Why is not D? Van der Waals, include interactions between atoms...

 

[milski]

Van der Waals is not bonding, it's just a weak interaction between atoms. Generally happens between different molecules but can be within the molecule if it's large enough.

 

[ljc]

Enzymes are proteins, made up of amino acids. Amino acids are joined via peptide bonds.

 

[scarshapedstar]

Enzymes are proteins, made up of amino acids. Amino acids are joined via peptide bonds.

Yep.

It's not very well written; covalent would be more accurate since it applies to every atom in the enzyme and not just the backbone, but covalent isn't a choice. Or they could have asked what kind of bond joins amino acids instead of "atoms".

 

[SaintJude]

I think the writers deliberately chose not to ask "which bonds joins amino acids?", because they wanted to make it clear that van der Waals are not bonds, but indeed just weak interactions.

If you knew that van der Waals were just weak interactions (which I didn't know before this), you would have eliminated choice D for the same reason that you eliminated choice B: neither van der Waals or saccharides are bonds.