A researcher heats an aqueous solution of a globular protein. Upon analysis, it is observed that the protein has lost its biological activity and its helical structures have uncoiled, but the sequence of amino acids remains perfectly intact. Identify the phenomenon that has occurred and the primary type of bond that was disrupted during this process.

Step-by-step solution

When a protein is subjected to physical changes such as heating, the hydrogen bonds holding the secondary and tertiary structures are disturbed. This causes the uncoiling of helices and unfolding of globules, leading to a loss of biological activity. This phenomenon is known as denaturation. Since the sequence of amino acids remains intact, the primary structure is preserved, which means the covalent peptide bonds are not broken during this process. Therefore, the phenomenon is denaturation and the disrupted bonds